FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

ABC Demos New 100% Battery-Electric Premium Motorcoaches and Cutaway Shuttles, Educating Customers and Their Communities on EV Options Available Now. 

Winter Garden, FL – June, 2022, ABC Companies, a leading provider of motorcoach, transit and specialty passenger transport vehicles in the USA and Canada, is conducting a North American demo tour of its industry leading 100% battery electric Van Hool motorcoach models along with several zero emission cutaway shuttle vehicles. These electric vehicles showcase the potential for transporting 12 to 69 passengers completely emissions free. The tours industry leading Van Hool TDX25E Double Deck 69-passenger motorcoach, and the CX45E 52-passenger coach utilize Proterra battery systems and are capable of ranges well over 250 miles per charge. In addition, the tour also includes 100% battery electric cutaway shuttles based on popular chassis options including the Ford E450. Since early May, the company has sponsored tours and test drives with customers in key regions around the country to showcase the EV models, while creating awareness and educating commercial users, their communities, stakeholders and lawmakers about the many benefits of zero-emissions ground transportation. 

With tour stops across the US and Canada, it has also highlighted the flexibility of these vehicles to travel utilizing publicly available chargers. With the growing number of available fast chargers through networks such as Electrify America, the tour has also included a number of long-distance connections between tour stops. Most recently, the Van Hool TDX25E double deck motorcoach travelled over 2500 miles from Florida to California exclusively on public chargers. This follows a number of other trips completed by other tour vehicles showcasing their flexibility across various temperatures, travel speeds, elevations, grades and more. All vehicles are monitored in real time with telematics systems capturing precise locations, vehicle performance, energy usage, projected ranges and more, providing ongoing learning and real-world data. 

The tour has already gained traction with ABC customers utilizing stops to promote EV awareness in their districts with many having success creating local press events. The tour provides opportunities to demonstrate with customers and riders what is possible now, which has reverberated with elected officials as they seek to funnel infrastructure bill monies into the communities they represent. During a recent stop, Tom McCaughey-President and CEO, Flagship Trailways, hosted Senator Jack Reed to discuss infrastructure investments. 

“The goal of the ABC Companies Zero Emissions Tour is simple, we want customers and communities to understand that zero emissions coach and shuttle travel is a reality now, even as technology and infrastructure is still growing. There are a lot of misconceptions and confusion about what is reality versus what is still in development. Bringing these vehicles directly to our customers, demonstrates our confidence in their potential to transform travel now. This is a rare moment in time for the motorcoach and passenger transportation industry to lead a transformation that is top of mind with the public and our government”, said Roman Cornell, President and CCO ABC Companies, 

Through the Zero Emissions Tour initiative, ABC Companies is committed to supporting the net-zero sustainability goals of communities, municipalities and regional operations throughout North America. The company’s diverse portfolio of clean-diesel and EV commercial ground transportation vehicles and programs are designed to integrate world-class technology, technical expertise and aftermarket support that focus on a cleaner future. 

The ABC Zero Emissions Tour offers an unprecedented hands-on EV fleet operation experience, while being supported by ABC technical and training expertise. Customers participating in the program not only have access to one of the electric vehicles offered by ABC Companies, they also receive many of the support elements that make up the ABC Fleet Electrification Services program including: 

– Driver Orientation: vehicle controls, regenerative braking, energy management, etc. 

– Technician Orientation: charging procedures, high-voltage procedures 

– Access to real-time telematics monitoring featuring o Program reporting (vehicle performance, energy consumption, actual and projected range) 

o Charging status 

o Current vehicle status 

– 24/7 ABC Technical Support 

“We’ve shaped this program to give our operators the unique ability to experience electric vehicles in their fleets firsthand which in turn allows them to promote and directly demonstrate to customers and communities their commitment to green transportation and a zero emissions future”, said Thom Peebles, Vice President Marketing ABC Companies. 

As EV auto and commercial vehicle registrations grow exponentially, ABC sees endless possibilities and applications for EVs in fleets of all sizes and compositions. “Depending upon the application, EVs can help operators take advantage of new and growing niche markets that demand zero-emissions vehicles such as private employee shuttle operations, line runs, university campus loops or any situation that requires large or small group moves”, said Peebles. Environmentally committed consumers, and most notably younger generations of riders are amplifying the call for net-zero carbon goals, and operators must answer with green transportation options. Economic growth of EVs is also driving the expansion of public charging stations and local and state leaders nationwide are actively vying for funds as a large portion of that money is allocated toward the current administration’s goal of installing EV charging stations every 50 miles along the country’s major highways. 

With the irrefutable future of zero emissions woven firmly into the North American social and environmental landscape, ABC Companies is prepared to help owners understand and create a roadmap to EV integration through its turnkey fleet electrification services. “We bring much more to the table than just the EV units. Our fleet electrification services program is helping operators assess and create a roadmap to sustainability by crystallizing a vision of their fleet operations today and guiding them to the right-fit EV options that can dovetail with existing operations. North American roads will look quite different in the coming decades and ABC Companies is prepared to help public and private operators transition to a sustainable, zero emissions business model designed to optimize current and future operations”, said Cornell. 

ABC continues to lead the charge to next generation mobility in North America and supports its products through a national network of dealerships, strategic service and maintenance locations, the industry’s largest privately owned independent parts inventory and decades of technical, customer service and warranty expertise. For more information about the new Van Hool TDX25E and CX45E, ABC’s Zero Emission Tour, and all ABC products and services, please visit https://abc-companies.com/abc-companies-zero-emissions-tour/ 

ABC Companies is a leading provider to the transportation industry with diverse product and service offerings that cover a full spectrum of operational needs including new and pre-owned full-size highway coach equipment along with transit specialty vehicles including battery electric vehicles. ABC supports customers with a comprehensive after sale service network for service and repairs, collision services, extensive OEM and quality aftermarket parts needs for transit, motorcoach and heavy-duty equipment from strategically placed locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, private and municipal financing and leasing options are available through the company’s financial services group – one of the largest financial service providers within the industry. For more information, contact ABC Companies at 800-222-2875 or visit the company web site at www.abc-companies.com