CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Canadian electric school bus manufacturer will produce buses in West Virginia, bringing up to 200 jobs, Gov. Jim Justice announced Wednesday.
GreenPower Motor Co. signed a lease-purchase agreement for a 9.5-acre manufacturing facility in South Charleston, Justice said in a statement.
The move has the potential to add up to 900 new jobs when full production is reached in two years, the statement said.
“As we continue to diversify our economy, manufacturing these zero-emission school buses in West Virginia will open up a world of opportunities for our state,” Justice said in the statement.
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, GreenPower also has an assembly plant in Porterville, Calif.
“West Virginia has shown us to be a pro-business state that has a workforce ready to take advantage of clean energy jobs,” said GreenPower President Brendan Riley.
GreenPower will partner with the state Workforce Development Board and BridgeValley Community and Technical College for employee recruitment and training.
