IC Bus Kicks Off Electric School Bus Tour in California

IC Bus kicked off its electric bus tour on Tuesday — hosting a two-week, eight stop event that brings its production model CE Series electric school bus to school districts and IC Bus dealerships across California.

The school bus manufacturer is being joined by In-Charge Energy, an energy and electric vehicle infrastructure solutions company and partner of Navistar, as well as officials from NEXT, Navistar’s eMobility business unit, to showcase the electric bus and end-to-end turnkey solution, according to a news release from Navistar, IC Bus’s parent company.

“When talking about electric buses, it’s important to understand it goes well beyond just the vehicle; you need a true partner for the entire electrification process,” said Trish Reed, vice president and general manager of IC Bus. “Together with our internal NEXT team, as well as our partners, IC Bus is positioned to offer everything our customers need for a safe, seamless transition to electric.”

IC Bus’s CE Series electric bus offers three regenerative braking modes and approximate battery ranges of 70, 135, or 200-plus miles per charge, according to Navistar. School districts will also reportedly be able to outfit their bus with up to three battery packs depending on their application needs.

The CE Series electric bus is designed to give customers a zero-emission vehicle that offers AC and DC charging and vehicle-to-grid capabilities, making it possible for school districts to sell surplus electric power back to their local utility companies, according to Navistar.

IC Bus is now taking orders for its electric school bus. As previously reported in September, Canadian dealership Western Canada Bus in British Columbia became the first to order the manufacturer's electric school buses. The order, which will include a total of 18 Type C electric buses, will be operated by 14 British Columbia school districts, and each district will be provided with complimentary site planning services by NEXT’s charging solutions team, according to IC Bus.

Learn more about the CE Series electric bus.

Originally posted on School Bus Fleet