Vicinity Motor Corp., a North American supplier of commercial electric vehicles (EV), and Proterra Inc., a commercial vehicle electrification technology company, are collaborating to power Vicinity’s electric transit buses and work trucks with Proterra’s industry-leading battery technology.
Under a new, multi-year supply agreement, Proterra battery systems will power the Vicinity Lightning 28-foot electric transit bus and Vicinity’s strip chassis platform to support several commercial vehicle configurations such as utility trucks, shuttle buses and box trucks. The agreement is also expected to support Vicinity’s next-generation heavy-duty electric transit bus as well as the VMC 1200 Class 3 work truck and VMC 1500 Class 5 work truck with Proterra battery systems.
Proterra contracted to supply Vicinity with battery systems to power a minimum of 600 Vicinity commercial EVs through 2024. The Proterra Powered Vicinity Lightning vehicle is expected to begin production in the third quarter of 2022.
“We are pleased to announce this new commercial relationship with Proterra, a true battery technology leader,” says William Trainer, founder and CEO of Vicinity. “I look forward to working closely with the Proterra team to make our vehicles, equipped with their advanced battery systems, a staple in North American public transportation and industrial spaces.”
Proterra batteries will be used in the production of Vicinity Lightning electric transit vehicles at Vicinity’s Ferndale, Wash. manufacturing facility. Designed for the U.S. and Canadian markets, the Vicinity Lightning will comply with Buy America requirements for Federal Transit Administration-funded programs in the United States.
“Cities and towns across North America are driving towards a future with clean air and a healthier environment for our kids and future generations,” comments Gareth Joyce, CEO of Proterra. “The question now is no longer if communities will transition to zero-emission, battery-electric transportation, but how fast we can get there. Together with Vicinity, we are excited to build on this innovative spirit as we bring more clean transportation solutions to the communities we live in and serve.”
