Vicinity Motor Corporation

[Transit Apologist]

I don’t know if this was already pointed out somewhere but VMC appears to have seen the Turkish-built Güleryüz Ecoline while designing the Lightning (although the Ecoline has diesel engines). 

 

[Bus_Dealership]

On 12/16/2022 at 11:31 AM, JK-from-YYC said:

I don’t know if this was already pointed out somewhere but VMC appears to have seen the Turkish-built Güleryüz Ecoline while designing the Lightning (although the Ecoline has diesel engines). 

 

funny how they transitioned from a chinese style built bus to a turkish style built bus

[981]

On 6/23/2022 at 10:06 PM, MVTArider said:

Vicinity buses have finally arrived in MN.

The MSP Delta Airlines employee shuttle network has been reinstated due to increased staffing and growing demand for on-site airport parking in the main terminal ramps. Today while working I spotted 3 Vicinity 35' (or 38'?) working the Main Lot/T1 shuttle and doing operator training. Unfortunately I only managed to grab this lone crappy shot of 588 as I was leaving.  I'm not sure if these are new units, or transfers from a different airport. The previous fleet of NWA era Gillig BRTs were in dire need of replacement, so it's nice to see them going for Vicinity units vs. cheaping out on jumbo cutaways.

I compared the windows on that to a 35 foot model, and that does appear to be the 38 foot model. The 35 foot model has only 3 windows before the rear door on the curb side, while that Delta bus and the previously posted photos of the 38 foot buses have 4 windows before the rear door on the curb side.

[2044]

Interesting news from the following article. Anyone know who’s been buying and operating the VMC Lightning?

https://www.autoticari.com/guleryuz-uretiminin-yarisi-amerika-pazarina-gidiyor/amp

80 percent of total production goes to exports
Stating that Güleryüz exports 80 percent and 20 percent, they sell their buses in Turkey, Keskin emphasized that they send 200-250 electric buses to America and Canada annually.
Stating that these vehicles were developed by VMC and Güleryüz Ar-Ge teams with a joint project that started in 2021, Keskin continued his words as follows: “We are the contract manufacturer of Vancouver-based VMC (Vicinity Motor Company) on the America-Canada side. We send half of our factory capacity to America as an 8.5-meter electric bus. The vehicles go from here half finished and the manufacturer completes the vehicles there with a local production and sells them.
In America, the state has 60 percent support for electric vehicles, and a 15 percent support comes from the municipality, and customers can easily buy the electric bus. The buses we sent were sold to places like New York airport, Hawaii island.”

 

 

[MiExpress]

53 minutes ago, 2044 said:

Interesting news from the following article. Anyone know who’s been buying and operating the VMC Lightning?

https://www.autoticari.com/guleryuz-uretiminin-yarisi-amerika-pazarina-gidiyor/amp

80 percent of total production goes to exports
Stating that Güleryüz exports 80 percent and 20 percent, they sell their buses in Turkey, Keskin emphasized that they send 200-250 electric buses to America and Canada annually.
Stating that these vehicles were developed by VMC and Güleryüz Ar-Ge teams with a joint project that started in 2021, Keskin continued his words as follows: “We are the contract manufacturer of Vancouver-based VMC (Vicinity Motor Company) on the America-Canada side. We send half of our factory capacity to America as an 8.5-meter electric bus. The vehicles go from here half finished and the manufacturer completes the vehicles there with a local production and sells them.
In America, the state has 60 percent support for electric vehicles, and a 15 percent support comes from the municipality, and customers can easily buy the electric bus. The buses we sent were sold to places like New York airport, Hawaii island.”

 

 

In the US, Honolulu Airport ordered 4 Vicinity Lightning buses. In 2021 ABC Bus (US Vicinity dealer) ordered 10 and Tulane University in New Orleans ordered 5 but it doesn't appear those orders were delivered.

I think the article actually refers to the total amount of Vicinity buses Guleryuz has manufactured (both Classic diesel/CNG and Lightning EV) as they have been manufacturing the Classic buses for over a year now.