VANCOUVER, Canada, – GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (Nasdaq: GP) (“GreenPower” or the “Company”), a leading manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit space and school bus sector, today announced that it has received credit approval from CIBC for $5 million in financing facilities, comprised of a $3 million revolving line of credit and a $2 million term loan with a three year term. Additionally, the Company has received credit approval from CIBC to enter into a letter of credit of $450,000, secured by cash collateral, and a letter of credit facility of up to $2.5 million, which is subject to approval from another financial institution. GreenPower’s transaction with CIBC is subject to finalizing documentation, as well as satisfaction of all closing conditions, and all parties are actively working towards a timely completion. In addition, GreenPower has announced that it has closed $5 million in term loans from two family offices, which have provided personal joint and several guarantees in support of these credit facilities. A portion of the net proceeds from the financings will be used to repay and close the Company’s existing operating line of credit, with the remainder used for general corporate purposes. These transactions represent an important step in the recapitalization of the Company and will allow GreenPower to accelerate production of all-electric vehicles to fulfil existing customer orders.

The Company has agreed to issue 3,205,128 non-transferable share purchase warrants (each, a “Loan Bonus Warrant”) to one of the family offices. Each Loan Bonus Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a “Share”) at an exercise price of US$0.78 per Share for a period of thirty-six (36) months from the closing date of the Loan. In addition, the Company has agreed to issue to one of the family offices an aggregate of 641,025 Shares (each a “Loan Bonus Share”). The family offices are each considered to be a “related party” within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”) and each of the loans with the family offices and issuance of Loan Bonus Warrants and Loan Bonus Shares, as applicable, is considered to be a “related party transaction” within the meaning of MI 61-101 but each is exempt from the formal valuation requirement and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101 by virtue of the exemptions contained in Sections 5.5(g) and 5.7(e) of MI 61-101.

All securities issued in connection with the loans with the family offices will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus a day from the closing of the loan in accordance with applicable securities legislation.

About GreenPower Motor Company Inc.
GreenPower designs, builds and distributes a full suite of high-floor and low-floor all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, including transit buses, school buses, shuttles, cargo van and a cab and chassis. GreenPower employs a clean-sheet design to manufacture all-electric vehicles that are purpose built to be battery powered with zero emissions while integrating global suppliers for key components. This OEM platform allows GreenPower to meet the specifications of various operators while providing standard parts for ease of maintenance and accessibility for warranty requirements. For further information go to www.greenpowermotor.com

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A new survey from the Canadian International Auto Show paints a more complicated picture of the country’s electric vehicle plans than policymakers might expect. While the federal government continues to push for a gradual phase-out of gas-powered vehicles, public sentiment hasn’t caught up.

More: Canada Walks Back EV Mandate Amid US Trade War

A whopping 68 percent of respondents were against the move and most people said their next vehicle would likely be a traditional combustion model.

Reading the Room

That’s probably not the news the government wants to hear, but 47 percent of respondents said their next vehicle would likely be a conventional gas model. Thirty percent are eyeing an eco-friendly hybrid, while 11 percent are thinking about getting a plug-in hybrid.

As for EVs, they’re barely a blip on the radar as just 10 percent of respondents said their next vehicle would likely be an EV. People were also split on whether EV incentives should be brought back as only 54 percent agreed or strongly agreed.

Still, there was some consensus on one key point: most respondents said a stronger public charging network would be essential to drive future EV sales.

How Much Choice Matters

The auto show said the findings reveal that “consumer choice, across a range of powertrains and price points, remains a top priority for drivers.” The government appears to be willing to listen as reports have suggested changes are in the works following a review.

While Canadians have conflicting feelings about electric cars, they’re largely united amid a trade war with America. Seventy-seven percent of people surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that Canada should protect its auto industry.

Also: One In Four Lexus TX SUVs Stolen In Ontario

That’s easier said than done and we’ve seen a number of high profile cancellations recently including the Chevrolet BrightDrop electric vans. Furthermore, Stellantis recently announced plans to build the Compass in Belvidere, Illinois instead of Brampton, Ontario.

Seven years after Canadian leaders last met their Chinese opposite numbers, Prime Minister Mark Carney is sitting down with Chinese President Xi Jinping. At stake are billions of dollars worth of trade, but Carney hinted that the trade agreement many are hoping for might not materialise, at least not from this first face-to-face.

The two leaders are getting together at the summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Gyeongju, South Korea, and in the run-up to the meeting, some news reports suggested that Canada could be ready to axe the 100 percent tariff on imported Chinese EVs put in place in 2024.

Related: China Turns Up The Pressure As Canada Reconsiders Its EV Tariffs

Canada is under pressure to hit eco targets, and giving access to more affordable EVs could help. But the real pressure to cancel the EV tariffs is coming from Canada’s farmers.

The country’s Canola industry is worth billions of dollars, with a healthy chunk of that revenue coming from China. But exports to China have tanked since the Chinese placed a 75.8 percent tariff on canola seed in response to EV tariffs.

So a simple “you drop your tariffs and I’ll drop mine” handshake could sort everything, right? It’s not that easy, and Carney was careful not to suggest that he expected to come back from this initial meeting with an oven-baked trade agreement.

“We will explore what we can build on. This is our second largest trading partner. This is the second largest economy in the world,” Carney told the media in the build-up to the meet, as reported by CTV News.

“[But] there’s no preset offer. This is the difference between relationship and transaction,” he added, explaining that the relationship between the two countries needed to “deepen” and that there were many other topics up for discussion besides EVs.

Another reason Carney might hesitate before lifting EV tariffs is concern over the welfare of Canada’s own auto industry, which is already taking a beating from US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, and the current US-Canada tensions aren’t likely to ease those problems soon.

The last thing it needs is an influx of bargain-priced competitors from China.

The Lion Bus electric school buses pulled from service in Quebec two weeks ago have reportedly all returned to the road after repairs were made to faulty HVAC fuses.

The Quebec Ministry of Education had ordered LionC electric school bus models to be taken out of service after a fire in Montreal Sept. 9, leading to school disruptions across the province and a renewed scrutiny of electric school bus safety. Lion360 diesel school buses, which Lion manufactured prior to only producing electric vehicles in 2017, were also affected by the issue. Lion Bus issued an inspection bulletin detailing the four-hour repair.

“We have identified some potential anomalies in a sub-component of the HVAC system that Lion obtains from a third-party supplier,” the bulletin states. “In the interest of safety above all else, we request that Lion bus operators perform the following inspections and modifications: [M]andatory inspection of several low-voltage electrical connections, replacement of certain electrical connectors, replace fan fuses with less powerful ones, adding a fuse to an HVAC control panel circuit. This inspection and modification procedure must be carried out on all Lion360 (diesel) and LionC 3rd generation and earlier buses (Gen3, Gen2 and Gen1).”

Lion Bus, the new name of the former Lion Electric based in Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, has become the centerpiece of Canada’s electric school bus transition. The manufacturer has delivered more than 1,200 all-electric buses across North America, with the majority operating in Quebec. But at the same time, the company recently emerged from Canada’s version of bankruptcy protection and was acquired by a Quebec real estate magnate. Per terms of the deal, all warranties outside of Quebec became null and void.

The Sept. 9 fire occurred while the English Montreal School Board bus, operated by contractor Transco, was parked and unoccupied. No injuries resulted. Transport Canada confirmed it was investigating three total reports of LionC fires, the Montreal incident and two earlier fires, with the focus was on the low-voltage heating system. The agency, Canada’s version of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said its investigation has yet to identify a safety defect “due to the extent of fire damage in affected buses.”

Transport Canada recommended fleet owners immediately inspect their LionCs “in accordance with the manufacturer’s inspection bulletin.” For school bus drivers who see any smoke or smell anything burning, Transport Canada advises them to stop the bus, evacuate all passengers and, if safe, turn off the high-voltage and 12-volt power supplies.

CBC reported that three similar fires and a smoke-filled school bus have occurred since last November. It took the Sept. 9 incident for Transport Canada to investigate, according to the article.

But reports from local firefighters indicate the fire did not spread to the lithium-ion battery pack, added nonprofit climate advocate Green Communities Canada.

“It’s important to remember that data consistently shows gas-powered vehicles are six- to eight-times more likely to catch fire than electric vehicles,” added Leif Einarson, communications manager for Green Communities Canada. “One incident should not derail the momentum we’ve built in transitioning to cleaner, safer student transportation.”

Lion Bus said in a statement on Sept. 12 that it was working with Transport Canada to determine the exact cause but confirmed “neither the electric battery nor the propulsion system was involved.”

That same day, Lion said Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec approved its plan to return LionC electric school buses to service.

The English Montreal School Board confirmed in an Instagram post Sept. 20 that Transco received the missing parts needed for its electric buses. Two days later, Sunday, Sept. 22, the school posted that all buses had been repaired, inspected and cleared for operation Monday. In all, 76 school buses were grounded, cancelling 68 routes.

First Student owns Transco in Quebec. But the largest contractor in North America, First Student also operates more Lion ESBs than any fleet, including in the U.S.

“Our maintenance and engineering teams are following the Lion Inspection Bulletin to guide all inspections and replacements. As part of this [Lion] bulletin, we are conducting a multi-step inspection focused on electrical safety and system integrity,” company spokeswoman Brenna Rudisill told School Transportation News. “This includes replacing the HVAC control panel for wiring damage and foreign objects, replacing specific fuses to optimize fan performance, checking electrical panels and starter solenoid connections for proper torque and alignment, and verifying bulkhead terminal tightness.”

Rudisill added First Student technicians replaced any faulty components found and upgraded connectors. The issue had been receiving the parts. She said the contractor advises school districts across Canada and the U.S. to “continue to follow Lion’s inspection bulletin.”

Valérie Tremblay, coordinator for the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA), said the inspections brought an unexpected upside.

“The good thing is it pushed school districts, operators and Transport Canada to thoroughly inspect all electric school buses,” she explained.

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Related: Report: Inequities in Canadian Electric School Bus Transition Threaten At-risk Populations
Related: Green Bus Summit Commences with Discussion on Future-Proofing Electric Buses
Related: Canada Becomes First Country to Mandate External School Bus Surveillance Feeds
Related: Arkansas School District Thanks Driver for Quick Response During Bus Fire

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The new U.S.-based manufacturing of the Micro Bird joint venture between Blue Bird and Girardin Minibus of Quebec is underway, with the plant in Plattsburgh, New York, officially opening this past week.

The formation of Micro Bird USA LLC was announced last November with the factory, formerly a Nova Bus plant, acquired in December with a $38 million investment. The first U.S. manufactured Micro Birds in 15 years began rolling off the production line in July

Micro Bird said the 156,000-square-foot plant currently employs 225 workers with a goal of growing the number to 350 when it reaches full production capacity. The project is supported by the Empire State Development with nearly $10 million in performance-based Excelsior Jobs Program tax credits and a $2.5 million capital grant from the North Country Regional Economic Development Council.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul was on hand Wednesday for the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Today’s grand opening celebration marks a new chapter for Plattsburgh,” she said. “We are proud to welcome Micro Bird to the North Country, where the company is tapping into our skilled workforce, thriving transportation cluster, and major regional investments. This new facility strengthens the local economy, creates good jobs, and builds a brighter future for the region and all of New York.”

The current Micro Bird joint venture dates to Sept. 14, 2009, when Blue Bird and Quebec-based school bus manufacturer and dealer A. Girardin Inc. entered a 50-50 partnership agreement to create Micro Bird, Inc. and jointly market the Type A school bus branded as Micro Bird by Girardin. Girardin provided all body design, manufacturing and assembly.

Blue Bird and Girardin also entered a supply marketing agreement in 1991 to sell the Type A vehicles through Blue Bird’s sales network. The school bus was mostly assembled at Girardin’s Brantford, Ontario, plant but also at Blue Bird’s Fort Valley, Georgia, plant from 2006-2010, said Steve Girardin, the executive chairman of Micro Bird, Inc. He also noted that Girardin designed the very first Micro Bird for Blue Bird in the 1970s.

The Plattsburgh plant opening returns a significant portion of Micro Bird production to the U.S. to supplement ongoing manufacturing in Quebec but with a much larger footprint. Micro Bird USA said last year it expects the new facility will double the company’s Type A production. NBC5 reported Micro Bird USA expects the plant will help increase daily production to 15 buses a day from its current five a day.

The new plant is also fully compliant with the Buy America Act.

“This grand opening is a proud moment for the entire team,” said Eric Boulé, president and CEO of Micro Bird. “With our new facility, we are doubling our production capacity and increasing our ability to deliver high-quality, long-lasting small and mid-size buses to our customers.”

Boule added Micro Bird had been planning expansion “for some years.”

“Plattsburgh was the perfect choice for us, the availability of a highly skilled workforce, proximity to major markets, and within a community with a strong manufacturing ecosystem,” he continued.

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Related: Longer-Range Micro Bird Electric School Bus to Hit Road in Early 2025
Related:Some Type A School Buses Fall Under Latest EPA Pollution Reduction Rule
Related: Type A School Bus Market Consolidates with Acquisition of Trans Tech Bus

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An electric school bus caught fire in Montreal’s Côte-des-Neiges neighborhood. Fortunately, all five children aboard, along with the driver, were unharmed, reported CBC News.

The incident reportedly occurred Sept. 9 near, sparking concern among parents and local authorities.

The Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (CSSDM) stated via the article that the children were being transported to one of the city’s schools when the driver noticed an unusual odor coming from the bus. Realizing something was wrong, the driver quickly parked the vehicle, evacuated the children, and called for help. A separate bus arrived shortly afterward to pick up the students.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with no official conclusions drawn yet. However, a Montreal Fire Department spokesperson confirmed via the news report that the fire began after the driver turned off the bus’ heating system and noticed smoke rising from the vents. The fire spread rapidly but did not damage the vehicle’s battery system. Firefighters were able to put out the flames with four crew members on the scene.

According to the news report, a statement from CSSDM assured parents that the transportation company’s vehicles undergo rigorous mechanical checks, which had recently been completed.

“As per our contracts, the transportation company’s vehicles are subject to strict mechanical verification requirements, and those verifications are recent,” the statement said via the article. The school service center has been in close contact with the company to determine the cause of the fire.

The bus was reportedly manufactured by Lion Electric, now known as LION Bus after being acquired out of bankruptcy earlier this year. In a statement via the article, LION confirmed it is conducting an internal analysis to better understand the circumstances surrounding the fire. However, as STN has reported, LION has ceased all operations in the U.S. after being purchased by a private company in Canada. The bus involved in the fire was owned by First Studen. In a statement, First Student commended the school bus driver for acting swiftly and praised the local fire department for their prompt response.

“The bus driver responded swiftly and appropriately, ensuring the safety of everyone on board. We also want to thank the local fire department for their prompt and professional response,” the company said via the article.

According to the news report, this incident is similar to one occurring last November, when another electric school bus caught fire in Ascot Corner, Quebec. In that case, the fire also started in the vehicle’s heating system but, like Tuesday’s incident, did not affect the battery. The driver in that case was the only one on board and escaped unharmed.

Parents of students on board the bus were informed of the incident, and while there was some delay in getting the children home, the quick response from the driver and emergency services ensured the situation was handled without injury.

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Related: Missouri Students Learn School Bus, Fire Safety During Back-to-School Bash
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With 2.2 million Canadian students back in school via the yellow school bus, a new report by the Canadian Electric School Bus Alliance (CESBA) highlights the need for equity of access and funding to make the transition to electric school buses a successful one. ​

Fewer than 4 percent of Canada’s 51,000 school buses, about 2,000 vehicles, are currently electric. But 70 percent of school buses on the road are set to be replaced in the next two to seven years, the report emphasizes.

Embedding Equity in Canada’s Transition to Electric School Buses calls on federal and provincial policymakers to ensure no one is left behind during the country’s move toward zero-emissions school buses. It identifies challenges faced by indigenous communities, students with disabilities and under-resourced areas in accessing ESBs. Adoption remains “significantly lower” in indigenous and remote communities nationwide, due primarily to cost barriers. ​

“We want to make sure that provinces roll out some financial incentive for electric school buses because right now just for the deployment there are absolutely no guidelines that force school bus operators or school districts to prioritize electric school buses in communities where there is more pollution and where they’re actually underserved,” lead author Valerie Tremblay of Green Communities Canada, a co-coordinator of CESBA, told School Transportation News.

The paper notes most ESBs range from $400,000 to $600,000 per bus compared to $125,000 for a diesel model — and related infrastructure, which proves especially challenging for indigenous and remote communities that already have higher transportation costs and barriers to funding. For example, transporting a student in northern Alberta costs $1,279 compared to $363 in urban areas, according to a report on education transportation needs prepared for the Assembly of First Nations, an advocacy group for indigenous people across Canada. ​

School bus contractor Switzer-Carty is a CESBA member company and currently operates two, 2018 model-year, Type C ESBs from the former Lion Electric. Those buses transport general education students, said Rich Bagdonas, vice president of business development for Switzer-Carty. But funding is also at issue.

The federal government targets 35 percent of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sales to be zero emissions by 2030 and 100 percent by 2040. The Zero Emissions Transit Fund (ZETF) covers capital and planning costs, while the Zero Emissions Vehicle Infrastructure Program funds chargers.

But Bagdonas pointed out that Ontario, where Switzer-Carty mainly operates, does not currently offer provincial funding programs or incentives though the company is exploring other local options.

Tremblay added ESB funding and deployment has so far focused on Montreal and Quebec, where 80 percent or about 1,600 ESBs operate, and other urban cities. Quebec also mandates nearly two-thirds of school bus fleets be electrified by 2030. British Columbia operates about 150 ESBs and also offers incentives, noted Bagdonas, as the province also aligns with California’s mandate that all trucks and buses be electrified by 2036.

Further illustrating the challenge, the report shares that Prince Edward’s Island also has no funding program currently in place despite targeting 100 percent ESBs province-wide by 2030. It had been relying on funding from the Canada Infrastructure Bank Zero-Emissions Bus Initiative, but those funds are now exhausted.

The report recommends revising provincial and federal budgets to cover higher upfront ESB costs and better support small fleet operators.

Tremblay and associate Nicole Roach note that procurement guidelines and safety standards also need updating to ensure universal bus design and a wider range of school bus models that provide accessibility and inclusivity for all. For example, they call for standard wheelchair lifts for students with disabilities.

Tremblay and Roach write that Type A school buses now offer increased range, the prior lack of which had posed “significant challenges,” but supply remains constrained with only a few models available in Canada. The availability of Type C school buses equipped with wheelchair lifts “has the potential to ease some of the equity concerns tied to ESB adoption, especially for smaller operators or school districts,” they write.

Then, there is the obvious reduction in exposure to diesel emissions, which not only improves health but also provides better academic outcomes and school attendance. The report cites findings from the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and the National Bureau of Economic Research in Massachusetts.

The report also considers the entire lifecycle of electric school buses, from resource extraction to manufacturing, adoption and use to disposal, and calls for intentional planning to ensure the transition benefits all communities, especially those on indigenous lands. Canada is a leading global producer of many critical minerals essential for ESB production, with mining predominantly located in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia and Alberta.

Meanwhile, the report also notes the need for improved working conditions by increasing wages and operational funding for school transportation staff, “as electric buses provide cleaner and quieter environments but may limit extra income opportunities due to range constraints.” This includes workforce development to expand ESB maintenance training programs that address skill gaps and job losses in the transition. ​

In addition to newly manufactured ESBs, the report recommends funding pilot projects to convert diesel buses to electric, preventing the export of decommissioned buses to countries with weaker safety standards, policies for adopting safe recycling of electric vehicle batteries and strengthening protections in mining practices to respect the rights of indigenous people and address human rights abuses linked to Canadian mining companies. ​

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Related: WRI Research Highlights Monetary Health Benefits of Electric School Buses
Related: Previous Lion Electric School Bus Warranties Voided by Company Sale
Related: Report Finds Challenges to California Vehicle Electrification Plans

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New Poll: American Voters Support Federal Investments in Electric Vehicles Broad, Bipartisan Support for EV Investments and Incentives that Lower Costs, Expand Access, and Help the U.S. Beat China in the Race for Auto Manufacturing WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new bipartisan national poll conducted by Meeting Street Insights and Hart Research finds broad public support …

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