100% Electric Zero-Emissions Motorcoach Demoing In Calgary

The bus arrived in Calgary from Fort McMurray, AB, where it was demoed from March 2nd through March 14th, 2021 with Ebus’ sister company, Diversified Transportation. This is the first time a zero-emissions motorcoach – a 45-foot, battery-electric MCI J4500e CHARGE™ – has been on the road in Alberta, and the first time in Canada that it was utilized for employee site transportation (during its time in Fort McMurray with Diversified Transportation).

The 56 passenger MCI J4500e CHARGE™ leverages electric vehicle technology from New Flyer, another NFI subsidiary, and is equipped with 544 kWh of heavy-duty lithium-ion batteries, delivering a range of up to 320 kilometres on a single charge.

MCI J4500e CHARGE™ specs:

• 116 km/h, designed for highway applications
• Average range of 320 km
• Charges to full in under 4 hours
• Regenerative braking using kinetic energy to recharge the battery system, making for highly efficient driving stop-start traffic conditions

“Ebus and Diversified Transportation are excited to partner with MCI to provide our customers and passengers with the opportunity to experience the energy of a 100% electric, zero-emissions motorcoach. Compared to cars, trains, and airplanes, motorcoach travel is the most sustainable form of passenger transportation and with the introduction of a 100% battery-electric option we can further reduce our carbon footprint,” said Tim Lindsay, Vice President, Pacific Western Group of Companies.

“The MCI team, and those across the entire NFI family of brands, remains committed to sustainable mobility. Our zero-emissions J4500e motorcoach embodies this commitment by delivering clean, safe, quiet transportation powered with battery-electric technology. Together, NFI offers the widest range of EV buses and coaches in North America, and leads the industry in unmatched innovation, making motorcoaches among the safest form of any transportation,” said Brent Maitland, MCI’s Vice President of Private Sector Sales and Marketing.

Media are invited to join representatives from Ebus and Diversified Transportation to view the MCI J4500e CHARGE™ motorcoach and learn more about the significance this has for the bus transportation industry and a greener future.

Date:	Friday, March 19, 2021
Time:	10:30 am MST
Location:	8815 48 Street SE, Calgary, AB

Representatives from Ebus and Diversified Transportation will be available for interviews on-site

Media Contact On-Site:
David Richards, General Manager
Pacific Western Group of Companies
Phone: 780-715-6556

Alternate Media Contact:
Pamela Deadmarsh, Director, Communications Centre of Excellence
Pacific Western Group of Companies
Phone: 403-999-2604
Email: [email protected]

Backgrounders:

About Ebus: The Ebus story has been one of expansion and growth from the beginning. Ebus was conceived in 2011 as an economical option to the luxury Red Arrow brand, which has been serving Alberta for over 40 years. Ebus is an affordable travel option while also providing the benefits that passengers are looking for when they travel:

• Safety – with our highly experienced drivers and well-maintained coaches
• Customer Service – friendly, professional staff, easy check-in, and well-appointed buses
• Comfort – on-board washrooms and comfortable seats with plenty of legroom
• Sustainability – one Ebus can potentially take 50 cars off the road each trip, making bus travel green travel
• Productivity – complimentary on-board WiFi and power outlets so travel time can be spent connecting, for work or with friends and family

Ebus and Red Arrow are divisions owned and operated under the Pacific Western Group of Companies, the largest privately-owned people transportation company in Canada. Our Core Value of Customer Service is exemplified while onboard our coaches, ensuring the passenger experience is of the highest standard. Getting our passengers Safely Home is the promise we make to our customers and that commitment to safety lies at the heart of everything we do.

About Diversified Transportation: Diversified Transportation Ltd. is the leading Industrial Employee Transportation company in North America, providing safe and reliable services to oil, gas, energy, and construction companies in Northern Alberta. With facilities in both Edmonton and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Diversified carries approximately five million passengers per year via their fleet of modern highway motor coaches, site service vehicles, and shuttles – all uniquely equipped to handle the extreme northern weather conditions. Diversified transports workers to and from worksites, using optimized routing systems designed with environmental sustainability in mind. Diversified is part of the Pacific Western Group of Companies, the largest privately-owned people transportation company in Canada. As an operator and integrator of mobility, the Pacific Western Group of Companies is proud to provide multiple innovative new mobility solutions that connect people and communities: Autonomous Vehicles, On-Demand Transit, and Mobility-as-a-Service (Maas).

About MCI: MCI is North America’s leading public and private market motorcoach brand, building the J4500 (an industry best-seller for over a decade), 35-foot J3500 model, and the workhorse D-Series including the ADA-accessible MCI D45 CRT LE Commuter Coach. Zero-emission offering includes the battery-electric, D45 CRTe LE and J4500e CHARGE™ coaches. MCI also provides maintenance, repair, 24-hour roadside assistance, parts, and technician training through the industry’s only Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) accredited MCI Academy. MCI has been leading innovation in mobility for 90 years, today supporting North American cities with sustainable coaches, technology, and infrastructure. In partnership with New Flyer, MCI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center, the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development through electric bus training, now available online.