U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-GA, announced on Thursday that the White House is awarding the Fort Valley-based Blue Bird Corporation nearly $80 million through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains. The funding is the latest to roll out from the Inflation Reduction Act from 2022.
“Today’s announcement is a major investment in Georgia manufacturing that will support hundreds of good-paying jobs, maintain our state’s leadership in the world-wide electric vehicle industry, and help build clean buses that are in high demand by schools across the country.”
The grant to Blue Bird will fund about 50 percent of a project to convert a motorhome manufacturing facility into a 600,000 square foot manufacturing facility for electric school buses. The facility had previously been shuttered and demolished so the conversion is nearly from the ground up.
“These buses can save a school district, on average, $2,000 in fuel costs and $4,400 in maintenance costs each year. They are also healthier for our students who would otherwise be exposed to concentrated levels of air pollution on their way to and from school,” said Rep. Bishop.
Blue Bird has just reported that it delivered its 2000th electric vehicle bus this week. The grants aim to ensure that U.S. auto manufacturing stays in a strong position amid foreign competition. They are part of a program called Domestic Automotive Manufacturing Conversion grants, awarded to cover a broad range in the supply chain, such as electric motorcycles and school buses, hybrid powertrains, commercial truck batteries and electric fleet vehicles.
“There is nothing harder to a manufacturing community than to lose jobs to foreign competition and a changing industry,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Even as our competitors invest heavily in electric vehicles, these grants ensure that our automotive industry stays competitive—and does it in the communities and with the workforce that have supported the auto industry for generations.”
The grant to Blue Bird is one of 11 to support the conversion of facilities in eight states to manufacturing electric vehicles and their supply chains. The total awarded to the 11 facilities is $1.7 billion.
“We are delighted that the U.S. Department of Energy considers our conversion project worthy of support,” said Phil Horlock, CEO of Blue Bird Corporation. “The potential grant could enable Blue Bird to reinvest in middle Georgia, building on a site that previously manufactured high-end motorhomes that are treasured to this day. It will also enable Blue Bird to expand our workforce and invest in a community that is integral to Blue Bird’s history. We are looking forward to fully participating in the next phase of the negotiation process.”
