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The Winnebago Magic Bus Is an All-Electric, Mobile School

Some companies make school buses. Winnebago makes schools shaped like buses – and they’re electric, too.
The Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile school 7 photos
Photo: Winnebago / YouthPower365 PwrUp
The Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile schoolThe Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile schoolThe Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile schoolThe Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile schoolThe Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile schoolThe Magic Bus from Winnebago is an all-electric, mobile school
Winnebago is well known for making RVs, but it also makes specialty vehicles like food trucks, mobile clinics and bookmobiles. This is where this mobile school fits in.

The Winnebago Industries Specialty Vehicle has unveiled the so-called Magic Bus, the world’s first all-electric, mobile school that will be traveling through Colorado, the United States, to offer learning and play experiences to children from low-income families. Not only is this a first of its kind-type of vehicle, but it’s also good for the planet and for the local communities. That must be a win in anyone’s book.

Based on Winnebago’s J33SE electric commercial vehicle with Motiv Power Systems’ all-electric EPIC Ford F-53 chassis and BMW batteries, the Magic Bus has an estimated range of 100 miles (161 km) per charge. It is expected to save up to 85 percent of operation and maintenance costs.

The interior is by Summit Bodyworks and it’s packed with books, toys, games, building blocks and other learning tools for the kids aged 3 to 5 it’s supposed to help prepare for kindergarten. Free of charge.

The Magic Bus is the result of a partnership between Winnebago and YouthPower365 PwrUp, and it’s the second vehicle that will hit the road in Colorado this October, four days a week for an hour-and-a-half-long classes. The other one is gas-powered, though.

“The children and families served by the Magic Bus need to be kindergarten-ready even considering the current crisis,” YouthPower365 PwrUp Senior Manager Kendra Cowles says in a statement. “The Magic Bus plays a critical role in preparing them to successfully transition to school.”

While this is a single project and you could probably find a lot of faults with it and the electric bus itself, let’s bear in mind that this is how everything starts. It takes but one to carve a path.
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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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