Company Teams Up With Xos and Morgan Olson to
Build Commercial Vehicle Prototype on Class 5-6 Stripped
Chassis
Blue Bird Corporation (Nasdaq: BLBD), the leader in electric and
low-emission school buses, will debut its electric-powered step van
at the upcoming 2024 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo,
North America’s largest advanced transportation technology and
clean fleet event. The company teamed up with Xos (Nasdaq: XOS) and
Morgan Olson to manufacture the prototype. Blue Bird will showcase
its groundbreaking zero-emission vehicle and underlying stripped
chassis at the trade event from May 20-23, 2024, at the Las Vegas
Convention Center, booth 2470, in Las Vegas, Nev.
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Blue Bird will debut the operating
prototype of an electric-powered step van and underlying stripped
chassis at the 2024 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo on May
20-23, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Blue Bird teamed
up with Xos and Morgan Olson to build the prototype of the
groundbreaking last-mile delivery commercial vehicle. (Image
provided by Blue Bird Corporation)
Blue Bird builds on its nearly century-long expertise in school
bus manufacturing to expand its zero-emission transportation
solutions to the commercial vehicle market. The last-mile delivery
step van and stripped chassis on display feature a 140kWh
Lithium-ion battery. The batteries are mounted inside the frame
rails for superior battery protection. The battery pack supports a
vehicle range of up to 130 miles on a single charge. It takes
between one and twelve hours to fully recharge depending on the
charging infrastructure.
Blue Bird’s prototype is based on a 178” wheelbase for
last-mile-delivery vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating
(GVWR) of up to 23,000 pounds. The company utilizes lightweight
materials and components for its innovative vehicle platform
maximizing vehicle payload while continuing to prioritize vehicle
safety.
Blue Bird offers several safety features on its EV prototype not
standard on comparable electric vehicles to enhance driver
protection and familiarity. This includes “hill hold,” which
prevents the vehicle from rolling backward or forward when sitting
stationary on a hill, and “electric creep,” which allows the
vehicle to slowly start moving from a stop when the driver's foot
is removed from the brake pedal to simulate a gasoline engine in
gear. In addition, the Blue Bird stripped chassis provides
55-degree, best-in-class wheel cut to improve maneuverability in
tight urban settings.
“In 2022, Blue Bird introduced its EV commercial chassis concept
vehicle at ACT Expo,” said Britton Smith, president of Blue Bird
Corporation. “This week, we will debut the operating prototype of
our electric-powered step van at the 2024 ACT Expo that’s based on
industry-leading EV technology. For nearly a century, Blue Bird has
perfected its core capabilities of designing, engineering and
manufacturing school buses from the ground up. Now we are one step
closer to applying our world-class vehicle manufacturing expertise
and expanding our electric-powered product range to the commercial
vehicle market.”
Blue Bird has partnered with Xos, a leading electric truck
manufacturer and fleet electrification services provider from
California, offering their expertise gained from deploying hundreds
of zero-emissions commercial electric vehicles since 2018. The
powertrain technology from Xos is a key feature in Blue Bird's step
van. Additionally, this collaboration includes Morgan Olson, a
Michigan-based builder of work truck bodies, which is responsible
for providing the body for the prototype. Morgan Olson’s work truck
bodies deliver millions of parcels to businesses and homes in North
America every day.
"We are honored that Blue Bird has chosen to entrust Xos with
the technology to power its electric step van prototype,” said
Dakota Semler, CEO of Xos. “This collaboration is a testament to
the reliability, efficiency, and innovation that Xos brings to the
forefront of the commercial electric vehicle market."
"We at Morgan Olson are looking forward to a productive
collaboration with Blue Bird and Xos on the development of this
step van prototype," said Mike Ownbey, president and CEO of Morgan
Olson. "By combining the expertise of our industry-leading
companies, we are confident that we can offer our existing and new
step van customers a new chassis option that provides great value
in the commercial vehicle market."
Blue Bird anticipates for its electric-powered stripped chassis
to be commercially available in late 2024. The company is the only
U.S.-owned and operated school bus manufacturer in the United
States. In addition, Blue Bird is the number one builder of
electric school buses in North America with more than 1,500
zero-emission school buses in operation today.
Blue Bird will also feature its latest low- and zero-emission
vehicle technologies at ACT Expo. The company remains the proven
clean transportation leader with more than 20,000 propane, natural
gas, and electric-powered buses in operation today. ACT Expo takes
place from May 20-23, 2024, at the Las Vegas Convention Center in
Las Vegas, Nev.
About Blue Bird Corporation
Blue Bird (NASDAQ: BLBD) is recognized as a technology leader
and innovator of school buses since its founding in 1927. Our
dedicated team members design, engineer and manufacture school
buses with a singular focus on safety, reliability, and durability.
School buses carry the most precious cargo in the world – 25
million children twice a day – making them the most trusted mode of
student transportation. The company is the proven leader in low-
and zero-emission school buses with more than 20,000 propane,
natural gas, and electric powered buses in operation today. Blue
Bird is transforming the student transportation industry through
cleaner energy solutions. For more information on Blue Bird's
complete product and service portfolio, visit
www.blue-bird.com.
About Xos, Inc.
Xos is a leading technology company, electric truck
manufacturer, and fleet services provider for battery-electric
fleets. Xos vehicles and fleet management software are
purpose-built for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles that
travel on last-mile, back-to-base routes. The company leverages its
proprietary technologies to provide commercial fleets with
battery-electric vehicles that are easier to maintain and more
cost-efficient on a total cost of ownership (TCO) basis than their
internal combustion engine counterparts. For more information,
visit www.xostrucks.com.
About Morgan Olson
Morgan Olson is North America's leading walk-in step van body
manufacturer, with a portfolio of customers serving many industries
and delivery applications. The primary sector these iconic work
truck step vans serve is parcel package pick up & home
delivery. Almost everything ordered online is delivered daily by a
Morgan Olson Walk-In Step Van to millions of businesses and homes.
Other vital industries served include uniform rental and commercial
laundry services, baking and snack foods, city municipalities,
telecommunications providers, utility services, and mobile cuisine
food trucks. For more information, visit
https://morganolson.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240520738031/en/
Media: Julianne Barclay TSN Communications M:
+1.267.934.5340 E: julianne@tsncommunications.com
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