SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va.,
Dec. 13, 2023 /CNW/
-- GreenPower Motor Company Inc. (NASDAQ: GP) (TSXV:
GPV) ("GreenPower"), a leading manufacturer and distributor of
purpose-built, all-electric, zero-emission medium and heavy-duty
vehicles serving the cargo and delivery market, shuttle and transit
space and school bus sector, today announced that the company has
completed manufacturing of its first four all-electric,
purpose-built school buses at its West
Virginia facility. The Type A Nano BEAST school buses will
roll out of the facility today and be delivered to Cabell County, Clay
County, Kanawha County and
Monongalia County school districts
in West Virginia this week.
"Today marks a significant achievement for all-electric,
purpose-built school bus production in the United States," said GreenPower CEO
Fraser Atkinson. "Less than 24
months ago GreenPower joined Governor Jim
Justice in announcing our plans to manufacture school buses
here in West Virginia to meet the
demand for zero-emission school buses on the East Coast. Those
plans have come to fruition with the manufacturing of the first
four Nano BEAST school buses being completed at the South Charleston facility."
GreenPower took possession of the 80,000-square-foot facility in
August of 2022 and since that time has prepared for the production
of both the Type A Nano BEAST and the Type D BEAST all-electric,
purpose-built school buses. The Nano BEAST has been in production
since June and production of the BEAST will begin Q1 of 2024.
"Setting up a new manufacturing facility for the production of
all-electric, purpose-built school buses is not an easy task," said
GreenPower President Brendan Riley.
"I am proud of the GreenPower team for reaching this milestone in
the progression of our company. A local workforce being trained and
educated by both GreenPower's senior production staff and
BridgeValley Community and Technical College has led us to the
production of these first buses and will be the foundation for our
long-term manufacturing presence here in the Mountain State."
Atkinson noted that the completion of the first GreenPower
all-electric school buses is as a result of an economic partnership
with the state of West Virginia.
"The state has played a critical role in reaching today's rollout.
From securing the manufacturing facility to the purchase of
$15 million in GreenPower school
buses, West Virginia has been the
kind of partner that helps a company achieve its startup production
and financial goals," he continued.
"West Virginia is in a period
of prosperity and growth, and we are fortunate to have GreenPower
leading the way in our new energy and technology economy. I, for
one, am honored GreenPower selected West
Virginia for its eastern US all-electric school bus
production facility and look forward to the growth and future
success of the company in our state," said Delegate Roger Hanshaw, Speaker of the West Virginia
House of Delegates. "My goal is that today is only the beginning of
what future GreenPower production and employment opportunities will
look like in West Virginia."
Today marks the first manufacturing of the Nano BEAST and Nano
BEAST Access option from the South
Charleston plant. The Nano BEAST is a Type A all-electric,
purpose-built, zero-emission school bus with seating for up to 24
students. The Nano BEAST Access option has seating for up to 18
ambulatory passengers and up to 3+ Q'STRAINT wheelchair
securements, complemented with a BraunAbility rear curbside lift.
Production process are in place at the facility to begin
manufacturing of the BEAST, GreenPower's all-electric,
purpose-built, zero-emission 40-foot Type D school bus that can
seat up to 90 passengers. Featuring a modern monocoque design, the
BEAST is the safest, most durable and reliable all-electric school
bus available today. Its seamlessly integrated aluminum body and
chassis design forms a composite structure which is the GreenPower
Truss(T) factor. The newly announced Mega BEAST option with a 387
kWh battery and up to 300 miles of range will also be manufactured
in West Virginia.
What officials are saying about the first production of
GreenPower all-electric, purpose-built school buses in West Virginia:
- "Today marks a significant milestone for the state of
West Virginia as GreenPower has
completed production of the first group of all-electric,
zero-emission school buses in our state. Not only is GreenPower
providing cleaner, safer transportation to students, but they are
also providing incredible employment opportunities for West
Virginians, giving those same kids a reason to stay in the state
for good paying jobs. I look forward to GreenPower's continued
success in West Virginia and the
positive contributions this company will bring to the future of our
state." – Senator Craig Blair,
West Virginia Lt. Governor and President of the West Virginia Senate
- "The production success of GreenPower highlights the
positive outcomes of partnerships. When state, county and city
officials team up with companies like GreenPower, the results are
staggering. Economic activity and job creation by a company like
GreenPower helps to bolster our 21st century economy
providing for the next generations of the state's workforce." –
Senator Eric Tarr, Chairman of
the West Virginia Senate Finance
Committee
- "I've been on this journey with GreenPower since the day
they announced their intent to manufacture all-electric,
purpose-built school buses in West
Virginia. As a school bus driver myself in Raleigh County, I've had the privilege of
driving GreenPower's all-electric school buses and can say, without
a doubt, they are the safest, most quiet and smoothest ride I've
been on. The fact that these buses are manufactured here in
West Virginia brings me great
pride." – Delegate Christopher
Toney, Vice Chairman of the West Virginia House of Delegates
Committee on Education
- "The state of West
Virginia is grateful for GreenPower's investment and
commitment to our communities. Promoting excellent education for
our students goes beyond the classroom, including a safe and
healthy ride to and from school and extracurricular activities.
When GreenPower started operations here in the Mountain State I
said that Monongalia County wants
one of these school buses. Today I had the pleasure of driving the
very first Nano BEAST all-electric school bus produced in
South Charleston from the
manufacturing facility for my county school system." – Delegate
Joe Statler, Vice Chairman of the
West Virginia House of Delegates Committee on
Education
- "We take great pride that GreenPower's all-electric,
purpose-built, zero-emission school buses are built right here in
Kanawha County. The creation of
clean energy jobs that GreenPower's manufacturing facility provides
means more than can be imagined to Kanawha and the surrounding counties. I am
grateful for GreenPower's promising community impact, and I look
forward to the company's future successes." – West Virginia State Senator Eric Nelson
- "Thanks to GreenPower, Kanawha
County West Virginia is now seen as the home to the
manufacturing of all-electric, purpose-built school buses for
markets up and down the East Coast. The jobs that were created to
produce this first set of buses is just the beginning of what this
company's production means to both the county and state." –
Kanawha County Commissioner
Ben Salango
- "South Charleston is
proud to be the location where GreenPower all-electric school buses
are manufactured. I have said many times that GreenPower is an
important part of our economic diversification in the state.
South Charleston is a city on the
rise and GreenPower is an important component of our economic
engine." – South Charleston, West Virginia Mayor Frank Mullens
Media Contacts:
Mark Nestlen
Vice President of Business Development & Strategy
mark.n@greenpowermotor.com
Allie Potter
Skyya PR for GreenPower
(218) 766-8856
allie@skyya.com
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 vans 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. GreenPower was founded in Vancouver, Canada with primary operational
facilities in southern California.
Listed on the Toronto exchange
since November 2015, GreenPower
completed its U.S. IPO and NASDAQ listing in August 2020. For further information go
to www.greenpowermotor.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This document
contains forward-looking statements relating to, among other
things, GreenPower's business and operations and the environment in
which it operates, which are based on GreenPower's operations,
estimates, forecasts and projections. Forward-looking statements
are not based on historical facts, but rather on current
expectations and projections about future events and are therefore
subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results
to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied
by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can
be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "upon",
"may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan",
"anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative
thereof or similar variations. These statements are not guarantees
of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are
difficult to predict. A number of important factors including those
set forth in other public filings (filed under the Company's
profile on www.sedar.com) could cause actual outcomes and
results to differ materially from those expressed in these
forward-looking statements. Consequently, readers should not place
any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. In addition,
these forward-looking statements relate to the date on which they
are made. GreenPower disclaims any intention or obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result
of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX
Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release. All amounts are in U.S. Dollars ©2023
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. All rights reserved.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greenpower-announces-production-of-its-first-all-electric-school-buses-at-west-virginia-manufacturing-facility-302013293.html
SOURCE GreenPower Motor Company