Micro Bird USA Celebrates Grand Opening of State-of-the-Art Bus Manufacturing Facility in NY

Micro Bird USA LLC officially announced the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Plattsburgh, New York, on September 9, 2025. This milestone represents a pivotal advancement in the company’s broader U.S. growth strategy, significantly enhancing its capacity to serve North American markets with high-quality, safe buses.

The facility, built on a previous Nova Bus site, comprises 156,000 square feet and is set up to double Micro Bird’s production capacity.

Micro Bird acquired the Plattsburgh site in December 2024, and by investing $38 million into the facility, was able to launch production just seven months later. This rapid turnaround, from acquisition to operational plant, reflects efficient execution in setting up the manufacturing base, training staff, and deploying infrastructure, underscoring the company’s commitment to speed and operational excellence.

Currently, the Plattsburgh facility employs over 225 team members. Micro Bird projects expanding that number to 350 employees, reaching full operational capacity in the near term. This expansion means considerable economic development for the North Country region of New York, generating substantial, well-paying job opportunities and reinforcing the area’s manufacturing base.

The grand opening was attended by state and federal leaders, including New York Governor Kathy Hochul and U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer, spotlighting strong public-sector support. Governor Hochul emphasized how Micro Bird is leveraging the region’s skilled workforce and transportation ecosystem, saying its investment “builds a brighter future” for both Plattsburgh and New York State. She played an instrumental role in orchestrating the successful repurposing of the former Nova Bus site through state development agencies.

Senator Schumer underscored Micro Bird’s continuation of a local manufacturing legacy, calling it “Plattsburgh’s powerhouse workforce,” and credited efforts by state and regional stakeholders in securing the investment. This multilevel backing underscores the facility’s strategic value, both economically and politically.

The new plant aligns with the Buy America Act, fundamentally enabling Micro Bird to produce BAA-compliant buses within the United States. This position bolsters Micro Bird’s competitive edge in supplying transit agencies and commercial operators across North America with domestically manufactured, regulation-compliant vehicles.

Eric Boulé, President and CEO of Micro Bird, highlighted how the facility enables a doubling of production capacity and brings enhanced delivery of “high-quality, long-lasting small and mid-size buses.” He also praised Plattsburgh as “the perfect choice,” lauding its strong manufacturing ecosystem, proximity to key markets, and skilled workforce, plus the support from state and regional economic development partners.

John Wyskiel, President and CEO of Blue Bird Corporation, noted the historical significance of Micro Bird’s joint venture origins (Blue Bird and Girardin) and how the Plattsburgh facility represents historic expansion and innovation in U.S. manufacturing.

Production of buses at the facility began swiftly. The first U.S.-built Micro Bird rolled off the line in July 2025, just months after the November 2024 acquisition. The site was engineered not just for speed but for efficiency, retooling the existing Nova Bus plant to produce commercial cutaway buses on Ford Transit chassis with varied powertrains including gas, propane, and electric. These buses are designed in configurations for assisted living, airport shuttles, paratransit, ADA services, and community transport.

The project also received financial incentives: up to $9.825 million in performance-based tax credits through New York’s Excelsior Jobs Program, a $2.5 million capital grant recommended by the North Country Regional Economic Development Council, and a 640-kW low-cost power allocation granted by the New York Power Authority under the ReCharge NY program. These supports reflect the state’s strategic push to revitalize manufacturing and energy infrastructure.

Micro Bird’s New 30 Passenger G5E Electric Platform

The Micro Bird G5 Electric (G5e) is a cutting-edge Type A school bus in North America, designed to carry up to 30 passengers and operate on a Ford chassis, with a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 14,500 lbs.

Its electric powertrain boasts a 600V architecture that supports fast charging at 100 kW and comes in two battery capacities—up to 175 kWh—delivering an impressive range of over 200 miles on a single charge. The G5e is Vehicle-to-Grid capable and compatible with both Level 2 and DC Fast (Level 3) charging stations, offering flexibility and advanced energy integration.

This bus inherits the G5’s strong structural build and safety credentials. Safety features include an 8-inch buffer zone at the rear to improve protection, a 32-inch electric door for better access and visibility, and full-length, heavy-gauge, galvanized steel side-impact barriers reinforced with seat rails. It also boasts a fully glassed “More-View” entrance door, a wide center aisle, and aluminum side body panels that enhance durability while reducing repair costs. Additional features contributing to longevity and passenger comfort include energy-absorbing body mounts that dampen vibrations, sealed floors to keep out dust, moisture, and noise, gravel shields, water-resistant windows, and full fiberglass insulation to prevent condensation and corrosion.

The G5e offers maintenance and accessibility advantages. The electric drivetrain eliminates engine-related upkeep, no oil changes or traditional engine maintenance are needed, which reduces overall maintenance time and costs. It supports ADA-compliant wheelchair lifts and configurations to accommodate special-needs passengers. Performance-wise, it includes regenerative braking and a two-speed transmission unique to Micro Bird, delivering high torque when needed and optimized efficiency when cruising. The simplified electric system, with fewer moving parts, translates into a lower total cost of ownership over time.

Ampcontrol and First Student Set the Standard for Electric School Bus Fleet Charging in New Case Study

In July, EVinfo.net reported that Ampcontrol had partnered with First Student, the largest school transportation provider in North America, to deliver the largest electric school bus charging deployment on the continent, supporting 465 buses across 30 sites with more than 99 percent charger uptime. First Student, which operates a fleet of about 45,000 buses, turned to Ampcontrol to ensure a smooth transition to electric vehicles without disrupting operations or incurring high utility costs. Ampcontrol’s smart charging platform optimizes charging in real time, aligning it with route schedules and grid conditions to reduce peak demand charges while ensuring buses are always ready for service.

“Ampcontrol differentiated in the quality—not just the application they bring to the table, but the overarching wraparound services, the full solution,” said Jason Doiron, Electrification Technology Leader at First Student. “They are consultative in nature, one step ahead of us throughout our journey — and they continue to be.”

“Every fleet is unique, but they all share a common goal when transitioning to electric vehicles: maximizing uptime and minimizing cost.” Said Joachim Lohse, CEO of Ampcontrol. Today, we’re supporting projects across Europe, North America, and beyond—helping logistics companies, bus operators, and ports achieve exactly that. What began seven years ago has now grown into a global effort, with electric operations scaling like never before.”

The system also integrates with chargers, vehicles, and telematics to give operators visibility and control, helping fleets cut costs and increase efficiency. First Student leaders praised Ampcontrol’s consultative approach and reliable technology, while Ampcontrol highlighted the project as a model for scaling school bus electrification across North America and beyond.