School bus manufacturer Blue Bird unveiled a new electric platform for Class 5-6 vehicles at the 2022 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo on May 10. The announcement marks the company’s entry into a new vehicle market.
Blue Bird used its expertise in school bus manufacturing to expand its zero-emission transportation solutions for commercial vehicles. According to the company, Blue Bird’s new chassis will enable a broad range of fully electric vehicles, including last-mile delivery step vans, motorhomes, and other specialty vehicles.
With a modular design, the Blue Bird electric vehicle chassis allows for several battery configurations from 70kWh to 225kWh, supporting a vehicle range of up to 175 miles on a single charge. The battery packs take between one and 12 hours to fully recharge, depending on the charging infrastructure.
In addition, Blue Bird will offer its Class 5-6 chassis with three wheelbase options of 178”, 190” and 208” for vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of up to 26,000 pounds. The company uses lightweight materials and components for its vehicle platform, maximizing vehicle payload without compromising on vehicle safety, according to the announcement.
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