ACT Expo 2024: Blue Bird unveils electric step van with Xos powertrain
By Bradley Osborne - 17th June 2024
Blue Bird step van and stripped chassis
USA – At Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo 2024, held between 20-23 May at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Blue Bird Corporation of Fort Valley, Georgia debuted a battery electric step van with powertrain components supplied by Xos Inc of Los Angeles, California.
The prototype step van is the first vehicle of its kind to be built by the school bus manufacturer. Based on a 178” wheelbase, the van on display boasts a gross vehicle weight of up to 23,000 lbs. For the electric powertrain, Blue Bird partnered with Xos, which for several years has produced step vans with Dana motors and a battery pack designed in-house with lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. The 140-kWh battery provides up to 130 miles of range.
