Nuvve and Blue Bird Announce Availability of Nationwide Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) School Bus Offer
V2G Technology Leader and Leading School Bus Manufacturer Partner to Provide V2G-Enabled Electric School Buses to Districts and Utilities
SAN DIEGO, CA – September 15, 2020 – Nuvve Corporation, a San Diego-based, green energy technology company and the global leader in vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, and Blue Bird Corporation, the leading independent designer and manufacturer of school buses, today announced the availability of Blue Bird’s Vision Type C and All American Type D electric school buses enabled with Nuvve’s V2G technology.
Both Blue Bird bus types are now equipped with a standard CCS connector capable of V2G charging and discharging of the 155kWh batteries that allow up to 120 miles of range on a single charge. With Nuvve’s latest V2G 60kW DC CCS charging station, the buses can be fully charged in approximately three hours. This charging solution fully complies with new V2G interconnection regulations and meets UL-1741-SA certification requirements specifically mandated for California V2G installations.
Blue Bird has taken a lead role in the deployment of electric school buses across the nation, delivering their 100th electric school bus in April of this year. The combination of Blue Bird’s electric school buses and Nuvve’s V2G GIVe™ platform creates a compelling solution for valuable grid services such as frequency regulation and demand response, while also providing “behind-the-meter” savings to the customer. Nuvve’s solution enables electric buses, which are parked most hours of the day, to store energy while connected. This storage essentially turns electric buses into mobile battery resources that can then be aggregated together to act as virtual power plants (VPPs). At times of extreme grid stress, such as during a heat wave, electric buses can be deployed to provide the grid with additional energy capacity to help prevent brownouts, blackouts, or even failure. Nuvve also plans to enable electric buses with emergency back-up power functionality in the future to mitigate the impacts of lost power during wildfires or other natural disasters.
“We now have standard products, both from charging station OEMs and electric bus manufacturers who are reputable market leaders, that will allow us to scale and ramp up V2G installations across the nation,” said Gregory Poilasne, chairman and CEO of Nuvve Corporation. “Electric school buses that are V2G-enabled have the potential to play a critical role to help stabilize the electric grid. We are proud to partner with Blue Bird to provide a cleaner transportation solution for children and a renewable energy storage solution that will help the environment and our communities.”
It is becoming widely known that electric buses maintain a much cleaner environment for kids to travel to school. Combined with Nuvve’s V2G solution, electric bus owners will realize an economic benefit resulting in a lower total cost of ownership since electric buses can offset operating costs when parked by earning grid service revenues. Additionally, during summer months and the current distance-learning scenarios caused by the pandemic, Nuvve’s V2G platform can help balance electric bus batteries and ensure that minimal degradation occurs in idle months, thereby increasing the lifespan of the batteries.
“We believe bringing new cutting-edge technology to the school transportation market is essential so that children can travel in the cleanest, quietest, and safest vehicles on the road,” said Phil Horlock, president and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “V2G has the ability to make our electric school buses more affordable to districts and, combined with Nuvve’s experience with utility and grid services, our collaboration will be key to developing the future of clean transportation.”
The new joint offer from Nuvve and Blue Bird is available through Blue Bird’s national dealer network who can provide assistance to districts through the entire electric bus implementation process, including financing of the buses chargers, installation support, fleet management services, and V2G services.
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About Nuvve Corporation
Nuvve Corporation is a San Diego-based green energy technology company whose mission is to lower the cost of electric vehicle ownership while supporting the integration of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind. Our proprietary vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology – Nuvve’s Grid Integrated Vehicle (GIVe™) platform – is refueling the next generation of electric vehicle fleets through cutting-edge, bidirectional charging solutions. Since our founding in 2010, Nuvve has been responsible for successful V2G projects on five continents and is deploying commercial services worldwide. For more information please visit www.nuvve.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Nuvve Press Contact
Marc Trahand, EVP Marketing
marc@nuvve.com
+1 858 250 9740
About Blue Bird Corporation
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. Blue Bird’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. As the only manufacturer of chassis and body production specifically designed for school bus applications, Blue Bird is recognized as an industry leader for school bus innovation, safety, product quality/reliability/durability, operating costs and drivability. In addition, Blue Bird is the market leader in alternative fuel applications with its propane-powered, gasoline-powered and compressed natural gas-powered school buses. Blue Bird manufactures school buses at two facilities in Fort Valley, Georgia. Its Micro Bird joint venture operates a manufacturing facility in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada. Service and after-market parts are distributed from Blue Bird’s parts distribution center located in Delaware, Ohio.
Blue Bird Press Contact
Justyne Lobello
Product Communications & Marketing Manager
(478) 396-3487