Blue Bird showcased an electric-powered step van based on its Class 5-6 stripped chassis at the 2025 ACT Expo.
The step van features a 178-inch wheelbase for last-mile-delivery vehicles with a GVWR of up to 23,000 lbs. The vehicle on display featured a 140kWh Lithium-ion battery. The batteries are mounted inside the frame rails for superior battery protection.
The battery pack supports a vehicle range of up to 130 miles on a single charge. It takes between one and twelve hours to fully recharge depending on the charging infrastructure.
Blue Bird offers several safety features on its electric-powered step van not standard on comparable electric vehicles to enhance driver protection and familiarity, the manufacturer noted. This includes “hill hold,” which prevents the vehicle from rolling backward or forward when sitting stationary on a hill, and “electric creep,” which allows the vehicle to slowly start moving from a stop when the driver’s foot is removed from the brake pedal to simulate a gasoline engine in gear.
Powered by propane
Blue Bird also presented its propane-powered stripped chassis based on a 208-inch wheelbase for medium to long-range delivery vehicles.
The company offers an industry first, OEM-installed propane powertrain featuring Ford’s proven 7.3L V8 engine. The unit also leverages Roush CleanTech’s ultra-low emission propane technology that has accumulated more than three billion miles with 3,000 fleets in North America.
Both the electric- and propane-powered stripped chassis provide 55-degree, best-in-class wheel cut to improve maneuverability in tight urban settings.