But moving a school bus fleet to all-electric is more than just purchasing a bus . There are many factors to consider , and the process can be lengthy and complicated – not to mention costly . This is something IC Bus – the school bus brand of Navistar – recognizes and is working to help engineer . With the TRATON GROUP ’ s trade and acquisition of the company over the summer of 2021 , Navistar has seen some exciting leadership and organizational changes in 2022 . Trish Reed , vice president and general manager of IC Bus , said that new leadership has renewed the company ’ s focus on energy and sustainability . “ With TRATON , we have a model that looks at various thousands and thousands and thousands of inputs ,” she said . “ Our model puts all the available grants and the subsidies aside , and it really looks at just electric adoption . Under that model , we foresee electric school buses being the predominant IC Bus product by 2030 , as well as the main bus type being sold across the industry . It ’ s an exciting time .” But with that excitement , Reed said , comes change management for districts looking to electrify . “ We all know electric is the right thing to do in the school bus market and there is a right way to do it if we want this to be successful in the long run ,” she said . “ I care less about actually selling electric buses than I do making sure our customers have a successful start on electrified fleets .”
To that end , the electrification process becomes about much more than the product itself . IC Bus has outlined what it calls the 5 Cs approach to help districts make the switch efficiently and effectively . The 5 Cs approach consists of : Consulting , Charging , Constructing , Connectivity , and Conserving . With a strong market position , leading capabilities , and an experienced eMobility solutions team , IC Bus is the partner that can streamline electric adoption and implementation .
Making the 5 Cs a Reality The 5 Cs approach incorporates the entire process needed to successfully transition and operate a fully electrified school bus fleet . The IC Bus team works with fleet managers and school districts through every step of the process to develop robust zero-emissions strategies that best fit customer needs . “ We recognize that electrification represents a whole ecosystem and not just the vehicle itself ,” said Kelly White , IC Bus director of eMobility business development . “ This transition is new for our customers , and entails grant funding as well as infrastructure . There are many key pillars to a successful electrification transition .” Consulting – The consulting process includes the evaluation of route mileage , morning versus afternoon routes , the time between runs , and specifications — all vital for identifying battery electric
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