North American motor coach seller ABC Companies has announced another successful trip across the US, this time using a Van Hool TDX25E all-electric bus. The double-decker motor coach was “Proterra Powered” and traveled 2,524 miles from Winter Garden, Florida, to Costa Mesa, California, using only public charging stations. This latest trip further showcases the potential of battery-electric buses, even larger models like the TDX25E.
ABC Companies is a family-owned sales and service company specializing in motor coaches in the US and Canada. As a leading passenger transportation provider in North America, ABC offers diverse products and services offerings that include a growing portfolio of EV models and charging support for a wide range of customer applications.
Overseas, Van Hool is a renowned name in large transport vehicles such as coach buses, tankers, and tram buses. Like many manufacturers in the commercial vehicle segment, Van Hool has begun electrifying its fleets in favor of zero-emissions travel.
One of these offerings includes the TDX25E – a 100% electric, 69-passenger double-decker bus. It’s the first of its kind to become available in the US, and the largest electric passenger vehicle on the road today, according to ABC Companies.
Last month, we covered news that ABC had completed a 1,700-mile demo drive using a “Proterra Powered” Van Hool CX45E electric bus. With its latest demonstration, the motor coach company and its partners have completed their longest journey to date, using a much larger Van Hool electric bus.
Van Hool electric bus averages 260 miles per charge
ABC Companies shared details of its latest (and longest) demonstration drive in a recent press release. The double-decker Van Hool electric bus was provided by ABC Companies and is powered by a Proterra battery system, delivering a storage capacity of 676 kWh.
Empire Coach Line provided the driver for the cross country drive that began at ABC’s HQ in Winter Garden, Florida. Over the course of six days, the TDX25E bus traversed 2,524 miles of US roads, reaching elevations over 5,000 feet and averaging 260 miles per charge before reaching the finish line at ABC’s Costa Mesa facility in California.
Roman Cornell, president and CCO ABC Companies, spoke to both successful electric bus drives completed so far this year:
Our 56-passenger CX45E, introduced in 2020 provided the inspiration and the impetus for fast-track development and deployment of the new double-deck TDX25E. Demand for these vehicles is very strong in many markets, and our technology partners, Van Hool and Proterra, have clearly demonstrated their ability to translate those demands into real-world solutions that can quickly integrate into fleets and provide reliable, repeatable results.
During ABC Companies’ longest EV trip to date, the 45’ TDX25E averaged 2.08 kWh/mile during highway travel and a speed of 60 mph (top speed is 71 mph). While temperatures varied from 40-80F during the trip, the Van Hool electric bus averaged 260 miles projected range per charge and replenished at a rate of up to 147 kWh. This enabled charging times averaging 3.5 hours.
You can check out the “Proterra Powered” Van Hool TDX25E electric bus in action during its trip in the video below:
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