Contact:  Fred Ligouri – fred.ligouri@daimler.com 

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Sep. 13, 2019 –-Ann Arbor and Roseville public school districts will be among the first in Michigan to utilize zero-emission electric school buses through their purchase of six Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses powered by Proterra electric vehicle technology.

Ann Arbor Public Schools will receive four Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley electric buses, and Roseville Community Schools will receive two buses. DTE Energy secured $1.5 million in grants to use towards the purchases of the school buses and charging infrastructure for the two districts. As part of the purchase, DTE also will partner with the schools to implement a vehicle-to-grid study which will allow the utility to better understand the effects of battery storage technology.

“We are honored to partner with DTE Energy, Ann Arbor Public Schools and Roseville Community Schools to make history in Michigan,” said Caley Edgerly, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses Inc. “Like many of our customers considering electric school buses, DTE Energy and Michigan schools are interested in ways to take EV power further. We feel that there is no stronger partner for this project than Thomas Built Buses and Proterra.  As the leaders in the school bus industry and electric vehicle technology respectively, we cannot wait to place our expertise in this real-world application to learn together how electric school buses can not only benefit the schools that they serve, but also benefit the utility providers and communities as well.”

“We’re excited to help bring clean electric transportation to thousands of Michigan students,” said Trevor F. Lauer, president and chief operating officer, DTE Electric. “The partnership and grant fit well with our commitment to advancing both STEM education and Michigan’s clean energy future.”

Equipped with the same vehicle quality, durability, performance, safety and comfort as the popular Saf-T-Liner C2, Jouley has a quiet operation and zero emissions. Jouley also offers 220 kWh of total energy capacity and can charge in about three hours with the Proterra DC charging system. It has an operating range of up to 120 miles. Thomas Built Buses is the only OEM to offer schools a comprehensive, turnkey solution of electric school buses, custom-designed DC fast chargers from Proterra, and electrical infrastructure project management.

“This is a progressive step for our schools and aligns nicely with our existing sustainability goals in the Ann Arbor community,” said Marios Demetriou, assistant superintendent, Ann Arbor Public Schools. “We are thrilled to lead Michigan in the deployment of the latest transit technology for schools.”

“We look forward to deploying these electric buses in our district,” said John Kment, superintendent, Roseville Community Schools.  “Not only will they help us reduce our carbon footprint, they will also serve as great educational opportunities for our students. Our educators will use them to lead discussions on how all of us can take steps to integrate cleaner energy into our daily lives.”

About Thomas Built Buses

Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is a leading manufacturer of school buses in North America. Since the first Thomas Built bus rolled off the assembly line, the company has been committed to delivering the smartest and most innovative buses in North America. Learn more at https://thomasbuiltbuses.com or at https://www.facebook.com/thomasbuiltbuses.  

Thomas Built Buses, Inc., headquartered in High Point, N.C., is a subsidiary of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, the largest heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America and a leading manufacturer of class 4-8 vehicles. Daimler Trucks North America produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses nameplates. Daimler Trucks North America is a Daimler company.

About DTE Energy

DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) is a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide. Its operating units include an electric company serving 2.2 million customers in southeastern Michigan and a natural gas company serving 1.3 million customers in Michigan. The DTE portfolio includes energy businesses focused on power and industrial projects, renewable natural gas, natural gas pipelines, gathering and storage, and energy marketing and trading. As an environmental leader, DTE will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by more than 80 percent by 2040 to produce cleaner energy while keeping it safe, reliable and affordable. DTE is committed to being a force for good in the communities where it serves through volunteerism, education and employment initiatives, philanthropy and economic progress. Information about DTE is available at dteenergy.com, empoweringmichigan.com, twitter.com/dte_energy and facebook.com.