If you’re considering electric school buses, you probably have a few questions. At Thomas Built, we’re ready to help. Here are a few key things to know about how the Saf-T-Liner^® C2 Jouley^® and our partners at Proterra^® are leading the charge in all things electric school bus safety.

How is Jouley leading the way in electric bus safety?

Thoughtful design: We took our time developing Jouley to get everything right from the very beginning. For us, it’s the only way to build an electric school bus.

A proven foundation: Jouley is built on the industry-leading Saf-T-Liner C2 platform that is recognized for its visibility, safety features, driver ergonomics and reinforced Saf-T-Net construction.

Next-generation safety technologies: Jouley is available with a range of state-of-the-art safety features, including auto-reversing doors, Intellipark^® parking brake, Hill Start Assist and the PerimeterView^® 360 camera package.

How are Jouley’s batteries built for safety?

Thomas Built works with Proterra. Proterra is a leading manufacturer of electric battery and drivetrain solutions whose technology helps Jouley run safely and reliably.

Jouley’s batteries are built strong. Jouley has two Proterra battery packs encased in lightweight, ballistic-grade aluminum to guard against weather, impacts and other extreme conditions.

Jouley’s batteries are thoughtfully designed. Each battery pack contains more than 6,000 small, cylindrical cells. Basing a battery system on thousands of small cells adds another layer of resilience for maximum electric bus safety.

Jouley’s batteries utilize Passive Propagation Resistance (PPR). In the unlikely event of a battery cell thermal incident, PPR is designed to detect and isolate an affected cell while protecting neighboring cells from further propagation.

“Being able to develop a battery system utilizing thousands of small cells really adds a layer of safety. In the event one of those cells were to fail, the failure would be contained to just that one battery cell. All other batteries would continue operating to power the bus.”
Dustin Grace, Chief Technology Officer – Proterra

How are Jouley’s batteries tested for electric bus safety?

Proterra ensures that the batteries used in Jouley meet the SAE J2929 standard. This standard defines a minimum set of acceptable safety criteria for lithium-based rechargeable battery systems.

Jouley’s batteries are also compliant with ISO 26262. This standard ensures the integrity of monitoring and controlling software that protects the battery pack against the most critical hazards and failures.

Proterra pushes their battery safety even farther. They have developed even higher standards of testing to guarantee optimal battery pack performance and safety in a range of conditions. They routinely test how batteries stand up to impacts, vibration, submersion and extreme temperatures.

Beyond batteries: How is Jouley tested for safety?

Safety testing: Jouley meets a range of school bus safety tests, including collision, Colorado Rack and Kentucky Pole tests. An independent third-party reviews Jouley’s design for functional safety and documentation.

Compliance testing: Jouley complies with EPA and CARB certifications, FMVSS/CMVSS regulatory testing as well as state- and provincial-specific testing standards.

Durability testing: We test Jouley’s structural durability on rough roads to ensure safe operation and optimum performance over the full life of the bus.

Functional testing: We conduct high-voltage and low-voltage functionality testing of steering, braking, HVAC and battery cooling systems.

How does Thomas Built help ensure maximum electric school bus safety?

Exceptional maintenance: We make maintenance fast, efficient and seamless. Our vast service network of nearly 250 dealer and service centers throughout the U.S. and Canada makes sure that the dedicated, personalized assistance you need is always close by.

Top-notch training: We help train tomorrow’s electric bus safety experts. We work on-site with maintenance teams and dealers to ensure that everyone who maintains Jouley is properly trained.