ABC Companies, a provider to the motorcoach, transit and specialty passenger transportation market in the U.S. and Canada, says it is offering a motorcoach diesel-to-electric repower program for North American operators.
Together with Lightning eMotors, a developer of zero-emission electric powertrains, the partners have created a five-step process for identifying, assessing and converting a wide range of “donor” diesel coach models that fit the criteria for fast-track battery-electric conversion. The repower kits are engineered by Lightning eMotors and will be installed by ABC technicians. The program will launch under ABC’s Specialty Vehicles and Technologies (SVT) division, underscoring the company’s focus on lowering electric vehicle (EV) market cost of entry barriers for coach operators.
“ABC Companies has a long history of repower and refurbishment expertise, making conversions to battery-electric power a logical next step,” says Roman Cornell, president and CCO of ABC Companies. “By sourcing suppliers and manufacturers, we will provide a portfolio of offerings and price points that will enable our customers to accelerate their introduction of zero-emission vehicles into their fleets.”
In spite of these challenging times, many ABC customers and the clients they serve are developing strategies to reduce their carbon footprint, a trend that was started well before the pandemic. With the cost of current options that organizations face to reduce their carbon footprint ranging from clean energy like solar panels to the enormous expense of upgrading or building new energy-efficient facilities, battery-electric coaches have become an attractive lower-cost alternative.
The new partnership between ABC Companies and Lightning eMotors was formed after a global search for a master service provider with the scope, scale, experience and expertise to develop EV Repower kits for a variety of customers and vehicle applications.
In addition to providing a full range of motorcoach zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) Repower options, ABC will also be an authorized referral agent for repowering many popular shuttle vans and cutaway applications such as the Lightning Ford Transit passenger van, E-450 and F-550 chassis.
The first repowered motorcoach, a 2012 Van Hool T2145, will soon be going into operation in the San Francisco area.