Thomas Built Buses
Trailerbodybuilders 9982 Thomas Built Buses Porterra Ec2 Saftliner Cropped 0
Trailerbodybuilders 9982 Thomas Built Buses Porterra Ec2 Saftliner Cropped 0
Trailerbodybuilders 9982 Thomas Built Buses Porterra Ec2 Saftliner Cropped 0
Trailerbodybuilders 9982 Thomas Built Buses Porterra Ec2 Saftliner Cropped 0
Trailerbodybuilders 9982 Thomas Built Buses Porterra Ec2 Saftliner Cropped 0

Proterra battery powering Thomas Built's new school bus

Oct. 30, 2018
Proterra and Thomas Built Buses recently unveiled a new high-performance electric school bus featuring a Proterra battery system.

Electric transportation specialist Proterra and Thomas Built Buses, which manufactures school buses in North America, recently unveiled a new high-performance electric school bus featuring a Proterra battery system.

The Saf-T-Liner eC2 electric school bus powered by Proterra represents Proterra's entrance into a new commercial vehicle sector, demonstrating the mass-market shift toward electrification of commercial transportation, the company said.

The eC2 bus powered by Proterra is being co-developed with Thomas Built Buses in Proterra’s Greenville SC manufacturing facility.

“This collaboration with Proterra supports our mission to deliver sustainable solutions to schools,” said Caley Edgerly, Thomas Built Buses CEO. “We are excited to integrate Proterra’s proven electric vehicle technology into our buses, to provide safe, clean and quiet transportation for children across the country.”

Thomas Built Buses is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America.

Proterra is collaborating with Daimler to explore opportunities to incorporate Proterra’s electric vehicle technology into Daimler’s commercial vehicle platforms. The Saf-T-Liner eC2 bus powered by Proterra is the first of these vehicles unveiled.

Designed from the ground-up with an emphasis on safety, durability and performance, Proterra battery packs provide “industry-leading” energy density and proprietary battery thermal management to ensure optimal vehicle performance and safety, the company said. Proterra battery systems undergo rigorous testing, and incorporate active and passive safety systems. The eC2 bus powered by Proterra can be charged with industry-standard J1772 CCS plug-in charging technology, including the Proterra 60kW charging system, in about three hours.

“School buses provide critical community infrastructure and are an excellent application for vehicle electrification,” said Ryan Popple, Proterra CEO. “We’re pleased to work with an industry leader like Thomas Built Buses to unveil a high-performance electric school bus that reduces our children’s exposure to diesel emissions.”

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