vehicle ( BEV ) requirements and efficiencies . Additionally , the team is equipped to assist with educating on all available funding sources , grants , and tax incentives . White said that IC Bus wants to ensure that when the bus shows up at a customer ’ s district , they are ready to fully utilize the vehicle and its infrastructure . “ We want to make sure that the vehicle itself is operable and is suitable for the routes it will be running .” “ It is important that we look at the customer ’ s routes relative to the vehicle ’ s range ,” White said . “ Our recommendations will then deal with optimal routing , or even what type of battery pack the customer should use .” Reed added that the electric CE Series comes with two battery configuration options , ranging from 135 miles to upward of 200 + miles on a single charge . IC Bus also offers the only electric school bus with three levels of regenerative braking , to extend the vehicle ’ s range between charging . Charging – Charging and infrastructure are also critical factors in the consultation phase , largely because charging requires additional building and Electric compatibility . for districts trying to make the switch . “ We look at the routes , timeframes between runs that would allow for charging , kilowatts from the utility company , peak versus nonpeak charging , and time of day for charging vehicles – because all of that will impact the total cost of ownership ,” she said . “ We also discuss the size of vehicles , size of operation , and numbers of buses , to really tailor the recommendation as to what a customer needs from a charging and infrastructure standpoint .” Constructing – IC Bus constructs all school buses for electrification in its Tulsa , Oklahoma , plant . The construction is tied directly to the customer ’ s needs that were identified during the consultation phase , and the buses are then manufactured to specifications meeting those needs .
Connectivity – White said connectivity is one of the largest and most overlooked pillars of the electrification ecosystem . This means not only understanding kilowatt hours per mile and energy consumption , but it also impacts charging capabilities . “ There must be a successful ‘ handshake ’ between the bus and its charging system ,” White said . “ The process must include a solid connectivity platform between the bus and its charging platform . Furthermore , the transportation director or business manager should be able to pull up the platform from their office and see how the vehicles are operating , and whether or not they are charging .” Having those key tools for customers is a critical part of the charging process , and the IC Bus OnCommand Connection remote diagnostics system does so by interfacing between the charging software and school buses . Conserving – The fifth “ C ” is all about looking ahead – how can these batteries be used ? What will be the optimal route for an electric vehicle entering its tenth , or even twelfth year of service ? Even beyond that , once the battery ’ s life exceeds that of the vehicle itself , how can the energy be used to power alternative sources ? “ Do you recycle ? Do you remanufacture ? Can you repurpose the battery in a new way ? We look at all of these opportunities early for our customers ,” White said . Reed added that the CE Series lends itself to longer life and better serviceability thanks to certain features inherent to the model . The electric CE models are built in the same Tulsa facility as all of Navistar ’ s school buses . It allows IC Bus to leverage parts and componentry so that longtime customers are still familiar with the vehicle even after making the switch to electric . Furthermore , IC Bus takes full advantage of its expansive dealer network to ensure serviceability and maintenance , as well as the rest of the vehicle ’ s components .
16 | SCHOOL-BUSRIDE . COM | JUNE 2022