Efficient Drivetrains, Inc. (EDI), which recently announced a plan to be acquired by Cummins, has introduced its EDI PowerDrive 4000ev, suited for Type-A school buses. The Class 4 offering rounds out the company’s electric school bus solution portfolio for the North American market, which now includes Types C, D, and A.

With a captive ridership of 26 million students, the number of vehicles in the nation’s school bus fleet includes almost half a million buses – more than commercial buses, trains, and air travel services combined. Diesel vehicles expose students and the surrounding community to 15 times more mobile particulates than their electrified counterparts, every weekday morning and afternoon.

EDI works with OEMs to provide its EDI PowerDrive solution. The EDI PowerDrive electrification kit includes the EDI PowerDrive drivetrain and the EDI PowerSuite vehicle control and telematics software, together with training and support infrastructure.

“The school bus industry continues to make significant progress in providing zero-emissions options to school districts,” said CEO Joerg Ferchau. “Paired with available government incentive programs, fleet operators are now able to provide a strong business case for replacing older vehicles, and can demonstrate that in addition to electric buses providing clean air, they are less expensive to fuel and maintain, reducing the overall total cost of ownership.”

Source: Efficient Drivetrains