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Built by names
you know and trust
Blue Bird, the name synonymous with student transportation, has united with Cummins, a global leader in electrified power solutions, to deliver the next step in electric vehicle technology to your school district.
Make the most of your electric school bus grant dollars by moving forward with the team you know. We’ll make the shift as straightforward as possible.
Contact Us
Better Together
Focused on safety
Safety always comes first. Each vehicle built conforms to Blue Bird standard safety features and testing. In addition, all batteries are tested to meet passive and active safety standards, as well as environmental and abuse-tolerance benchmarks.
Driven by expertise
The new electric school buses unite the best of both worlds: best-in-class body and chassis design by Blue Bird and a Cummins power system 30 years in the making. The result? Nearly 200 years of collective experience behind every bus.
Road tested and approved
Over 100 of our eco-friendly electric school buses are already on the road in school districts across the country. It’s just the beginning of our commitment to expanding the accessibility of electrified power solutions to the next generation of dreamers.
Affordable. Efficient. Available now.
Back in 1994, Blue Bird was engineering electric school buses. And since then, we’ve perfected the balance between energy efficiency, affordability, and safety. When it comes to zero-emission alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), there’s an incentive to move forward with Blue Bird and Cummins.
Built to be affordable
With no need for engine oil changes, and no transmission or engine to maintain, environmentally friendly Blue Bird electric buses have a lower cost of maintenance than traditional, combustion-fueled buses.
Zero-emission vehicles
In the time it takes a student to graduate, an electric school bus can eliminate 329 metric tons of carbon dioxide – or the weight of about 18 buses! In other words, these AFVs are eligible for government incentives.
Safe travel for students
An investment in safer transportation is an investment in our future. Visit Blue Bird to learn more about the standard safety features and testing that goes into each bus.
Unparalleled service and support
Our extensive parts and supply-chain network spans throughout North America in nearly every state and province. Rest assured, with 24/7 support, your investment will remain road ready wherever you may be.
We’ve got you covered
Cummins will warranty the power train and high-voltage battery packs of new PowerDrive™ systems, including parts and labor, for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Parts and service
The North American Blue Bird Dealer Network, backed by the Blue Bird Parts and Service Team, has you covered for the life of your bus.
Blue Bird Field Service Technicians
Cummins Service Locations
Let's Plan Your Route
Working together — with you
All school districts have unique needs. We’ll work with you to determine a completely customizable, zero-emissions solution – from route design to maintenance schedules and beyond – to ensure your all-electric transition is as seamless as possible.
So advanced, it’s simple
Fewer moving parts means reduced maintenance. Live the green energy dream free from oil and air filter changes, transmission maintenance, smog checks, and more.
Seating capacity
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Multiple floor plans available with passenger seating up to 72 (Vision) and 84 (All American)
Range
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Up to 120 miles
Recharge Time
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Level 2 charger, approx. 8 hrs.; fast charge, approx. 3 hrs.
Charging plug
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SAE J1772 CCS Combo 1 standard or J1772 Type 1 standard
Battery capacity
•
155 kWh Li-ION NMC/G cell
Propulsion system
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Cummins PowerDrive™ 7000ev
Motor
•
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Power (cont./peak): 188/315 hp
Torque (cont./peak): 785/2,400 ft lb
Frequently asked questions
Find answers to common questions here, or start a conversation with us by filling out our form.
Making the dream possible
For over 30 years, Blue Bird and Cummins have worked together to build a brighter future.
Cummins, Inc.
Blue Bird
Ready to dream big?
Stay in the loop on all things all-electric. Start a conversation and sign up to receive emails from Blue Bird and Cummins.
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Fully electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by an electric motor instead of a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE). The drivetrain, which supplies power to the vehicle’s axles, gets power from a collection of rechargeable batteries.
It all starts with the battery supplying electrical energy to the stator, which is the stationary part of the motor’s rotary system. In turn, this electrical energy powers coils within the stator to create rotating magnetic fields that spin the rotor. This mechanical energy turns the gears of the vehicle, which rotates the wheels and moves the bus.
The Blue Bird Vision Electric (Type C) and the All American RE Electric (Type D) are manufactured in Fort Valley, Georgia. The Cummins PowerDrive™ system is manufactured in Columbus, Indiana.
Electric school buses are cheaper to maintain and power over their lifetimes. They produce no emissions and have environmental benefits such as decreased noise and emissions.
Blue Bird
Cummins, Inc.
Blue Bird is the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, with more than 550,000 buses sold since its formation in 1927 and approximately 180,000 buses in operation today. The company’s longevity and reputation in the school bus industry have made it an iconic American brand. Blue Bird distinguishes itself from its principal competitors by its singular focus on the design, engineering, manufacture, and sale of school buses and related parts.
Blue Bird
Cummins, Inc.
Cummins, a global power-technology leader, is a corporation of distinct, but complementary, business units that designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes, and services engines and related technologies, including fuel systems, controls, air handling, filtration, emission solutions, and electrical power generation systems.
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
No! Blue Bird Type C and D electric school buses are 100 percent electric, meaning zero emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and hydrocarbons (HC) are emitted from the vehicle when driving.
Learn More
Let's Talk Costs
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How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
The bus has a range up to 120 miles. The route, ambient temperatures, and driver behavior will all impact the specific range.
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Contact your school district’s transportation department or your local Blue Bird dealer to discuss test-drives.
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
Can buses operate in both cold and hot climates? Does the ambient temperature affect performance?
What is the top speed for a Blue Bird electric bus?
What maintenance is required for an electric bus?
How many operational modes are on the Blue Bird electric school bus?
The bus can be operated in temperatures ranging from -20 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Ambient temperatures will affect charging time and performance. In cold climates, we recommend the following:
Currently, the bus has a top speed of 65 mph. Faster settings will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
Electric buses are easy to maintain. There is no need for engine oil changes, fuel, engine air filters, or transmission service. Only coolant is needed to maintain the power train of an electric bus.
Two: standard mode and regenerative mode. The bus is in standard mode when the vehicle is in operation and the accelerator pedal is depressed. The bus automatically shifts to regenerative mode when the accelerator is not depressed and certain conditions are met. During regenerative mode, the vehicle recaptures electrical energy and creates efficiency by returning it to the batteries. The bus also has a “hill hold” feature, which stops it from rolling backward or forward when enabled.
Can buses operate in both cold and hot climates? Does the ambient temperature affect performance?
What is the top speed for a Blue Bird electric bus?
What maintenance is required for an electric bus?
How many operational modes are on the Blue Bird electric school bus?
Park the bus overnight in a climate-controlled building.
If possible, charge and service the bus in a climate-controlled building.
After finishing a route, plug in the bus and keep it plugged in until the bus is needed again. The system will be warmest after a route and will recharge quicker.
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Can buses operate in both cold and hot climates? Does the ambient temperature affect performance?
What is the top speed for a Blue Bird electric bus?
What maintenance is required for an electric bus?
How many operational modes are on the Blue Bird electric school bus?
Can buses operate in both cold and hot climates? Does the ambient temperature affect performance?
What is the top speed for a Blue Bird electric bus?
What maintenance is required for an electric bus?
How many operational modes are on the Blue Bird electric school bus?
Can buses operate in both cold and hot climates? Does the ambient temperature affect performance?
What is the top speed for a Blue Bird electric bus?
What maintenance is required for an electric bus?
How many operational modes are on the Blue Bird electric school bus?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
Four levels exist today: AC Level 1 (120 volts), AC Level 2 (240 volts), DC Fast or Level 3 (200–600 volts), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) or bidirectional.
It depends on the amount of power used that needs to be replaced and the charging rate of the charger. Generally, the bus can reach a full charge in under eight hours using a standard Level 2 charger, and in under 3 hours using a fast charger.
The industry standard for measuring electrical performance is based on batteries at 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit). Due to the basic physics of batteries and electricity, 20 degrees Celsius is the most efficient temperature for recharging. The charge rate decreases if the batteries are at a higher or lower temperature.
Because batteries perform better at a high charge rate, we suggest “opportunity charging” for AC charging, or plugging the bus in to charge whenever it’s convenient. For example, following a morning route, bring the bus back to the charger and let it charge as long as possible before your afternoon route. Even if the bus doesn’t come back to a full charge, this is still better than letting it run down.
A typical Level 2 charger is rated at 19.2 kilowatts per hour, and will fully charge the 155-kilowatt hour battery (from 0 to 100 percent) in about eight hours and 20 minutes.
Both our Type C and Type D buses use 155 kWh Li-ION NMC/G cell batteries (lithium, nickel, manganese, cobalt, and gel). The battery has a proprietary mixture to maximize performance factors including the speed of charge and discharge, battery longevity (how many times it can be discharged and charged), and safety.
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
How many different levels of charging technology exist today?
How long does it take to recharge an electric bus?
What is the optimal battery temperature for recharge?
Does charging an electric bus at different times affect battery life?
How long does it take to fully charge the Blue Bird 155-kilowatt hour battery with current Level 2 charging technology?
What battery is used in Blue Bird electric buses?
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Type C: 252 inches, and 273 inches for body models 3011 and 3303.
Type D: 245 inches, 259 inches, and 273 inches for all body models.
Yes. A rooftop air conditioning unit is available for our Type C and Type D electric buses.
Only air disc and air drum brakes are available on our electric buses at this time.
Spring and air suspensions are available on select models.
Yes, a wheelchair lift is available for both Type C and Type D electric buses.
The bus comes with a no-spin differential or a driver’s control differential lock (DCDL).
Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) is a bidirectional charging system used by plug-in electric vehicles to communicate with the power grid. The goal is to sell demand-response services by either returning electricity to the grid or by throttling charging rate back during peak hours to save money. Blue Bird and Cummins continue to test vehicle-to-grid options and plan to offer them to customers once validated.
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
What are the available body lengths for the buses?
Is air conditioning available?
Are both hydraulic and air brakes available?
Can I get air suspension?
Can I order an electric bus with a wheelchair lift?
Can I order an electric bus with a locking differential?
Does Blue Bird offer V2G in their electric school bus units?
Overview
Operations
Charging / Batteries
Bus Options
Overview
Operations
Charging / Batteries
Bus Options
Source +
Built by names
you know and trust
Contact Us
Learn More
We’ve got you covered
Cummins will warranty the power train and high-voltage battery packs of new PowerDrive™ systems, including parts and labor, for 5 years or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
Parts and service
The North American Blue Bird Dealer Network, backed by the Blue Bird Parts and Service Team, has you covered for the life of your bus.
Overview
Where are Blue Bird electric school buses manufactured?
Do Blue Bird electric school buses produce emissions?
How far can a Blue Bird bus travel between charges?
What are the advantages of an electric bus?
How do electric buses work?
How do I test one of your electric school buses?
The Blue Bird Vision Electric (Type C) and the All American RE Electric (Type D) are manufactured in Fort Valley, Georgia. The Cummins PowerDrive™ system is manufactured in Columbus, Indiana.
No! Blue Bird Type C and D electric school buses are 100 percent electric, meaning zero emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and hydrocarbons (HC) are emitted from the vehicle when driving.
The bus has a range up to 120 miles. The route, ambient temperatures, and driver behavior will all impact the specific range.
Electric school buses are cheaper to maintain and power over their lifetimes. They produce no emissions and have environmental benefits such as decreased noise and emissions.
Fully electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by an electric motor instead of a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE). The drivetrain, which supplies power to the vehicle’s axles, gets power from a collection of rechargeable batteries.
It all starts with the battery supplying electrical energy to the stator, which is the stationary part of the motor’s rotary system. In turn, this electrical energy powers coils within the stator to create rotating magnetic fields that spin the rotor. This mechanical energy turns the gears of the vehicle, which rotates the wheels and moves the bus.
Contact your school district’s transportation department or your local Blue Bird dealer to discuss test-drives.
Charging / Batteries
Bus Options
Operations
Operations
Charging / Batteries
Overview
Bus Options
Charging / Batteries
Bus Options
Operations
Overview
Bus Options
Operations
Overview
Charging / Batteries
So advanced, it’s simple
Dream On
We asked students to tell us their biggest hopes and dreams for the future. Inspired by their words, we created a big mural that showcases their bold ideas for tomorrow. Then, we transformed it into a free, downloadable coloring book!
Kids dream big!
The road ahead is the dream ahead
dream
Introducing the all-electric school bus fleet from Blue Bird, powered by Cummins. With zero emissions and substantially lower maintenance costs, this fleet is built to transport dreams.
Scroll
Down
We asked students to tell us their biggest hopes and dreams for the future. Inspired by their words, we created a big mural that showcases their bold ideas for tomorrow. Then, we transformed it into a free, downloadable coloring book.
Kids
dream big!
Dream On!
Introducing the all-electric school bus fleet from Blue Bird, powered by Cummins. With zero emissions and substantially lower maintenance costs, this fleet is built to transport dreams.
The road ahead is the dream ahead
Scroll
Down