GreenPower Motor Company Inc., a prominent producer and distributor of zero-emission, purpose-built, all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicles for the school bus, shuttle, and transit industries, as well as the cargo and delivery market, announced today that it has inked a deal with the state of New Mexico to carry out a pilot project for all-electric school buses. Following the publication of an RFP in May, the state awarded the contract.
In the first school year (2025–26), the two-year pilot project will deploy three GreenPower Type A all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission Nano BEAST Access school buses. In the second school year (2026–27), the state will deploy three GreenPower Type D all-electric, purpose-built, zero-emission BEAST and Mega BEAST school buses. Each school year, there will be five pilot rounds of the school buses traveling around the state, each lasting six weeks. GreenPower will help guarantee a smooth testing phase, establish charging systems, and train drivers, mechanics, and first responders in the neighborhood.
More than $5 million is allocated in the agreement between GreenPower and the state of New Mexico for the purchase of automobiles, the construction of charging infrastructure, and general pilot administration. GreenPower will assist with the project’s execution from a site to be determined in New Mexico. Based on voluntary requests, the state is now selecting school districts to participate in the pilot. The three Nano BEAST Access school buses are almost finished with production, and the week of September 15 is when they will be prepared for Round 1 deployment.
“The New Mexico pilot project provides an opportunity to expand the reach of GreenPower’s zero-emission school bus product and gives parents, kids, and school districts in the state the opportunity to evaluate the transition to all-electric, purpose-built school buses,” stated GreenPower President Brendan Riley. “The project is leveraging the successful pilot that GreenPower conducted in West Virginia but also has a concentration on evaluating charging options and infrastructure.”
The pilot will equip the Nano BEAST Access school buses with both Level 2 slow chargers and Level 3 DC fast chargers. The BEAST school buses will be used to test Level 3 DC fast charging in the second year. A vehicle-to-grid (V2G) assessment with the GreenPower Mega BEAST will be a component of the second year. Due to its enormous 387 kWh battery pack, the 40-foot Type D all-electric, specially designed, zero-emission school bus known as the Mega BEAST can travel up to 300 miles on a single charge, which is a class-leading range. Compared to other electric school buses in its class, the Mega BEAST has a longer range. In regions where it is implemented, it offers the most attractive and economical V2G capabilities for a more sustainable society and a more reliable electrical grid. It also has more uphill climbing power.
“We are particularly interested in evaluating charging as a part of the pilot project,” stated Mark Roper, Director of the Economic Development Division within the New Mexico Economic Development Department. “Range, charging rates, and grid resiliency are critical components of switching to all-electric, zero-emission vehicles.”
To develop and implement the charging infrastructure required for the pilot, GreenPower is collaborating with Highland Electric Fleets. Highland’s Chief Commercial Officer, Brian Buccella, wrote to the state to express the company’s commitment to helping GreenPower evaluate the charging infrastructure and establish a dependable EV pilot project in New Mexico.
“Our experience delivering and operating electric school buses at scale positions us well to assist in the successful execution of this pilot program. This initiative presents an opportunity to reduce transportation-related emissions in New Mexico communities, protect student health, and modernize school transportation,” Buccella stated.
