GILLIG LLC, the leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in the US, announced that 45 transit agencies have chosen to partner with GILLIG to utilize their federal awards to invest in GILLIG’s clean-energy buses for their fleets.
These awards were made possible through Federal Transit Administration (FTA) ‘s annual Buses and Bus Facilities and Low- and No-Emission (Low-No) Vehicle programs. These dovetailed programs were developed in 2016 to support upgrading and expanding public mass transit fleets, improving bus facilities, and for the Low-No program specifically, funding the transition from older higher-emissions vehicles to more efficient, less polluting fleets.
With a remarkable $1.66 billion available, FTA’s competitive grant process selected 150 projects across 48 states and territories. Out of the 115 projects that include the acquisition of new vehicles, 1100 new zero-emissions vehicles will join America’s transit systems, nearly doubling the current no-emission transit buses in-service. This historic level of funding was made possible by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, as well as through other Federal investments aimed at increasing access to public transit and decreasing overall carbon emissions.
Selected by nearly half of all bus-acquisition projects, GILLIG plays a crucial role in fulfilling the goals of these FTA programs. GILLIG’s portfolio of clean-tech buses provides transit agencies with a range of solutions that align with the purposes of FTA’s Low-No Emissions program. With GILLIG’s proven platform supporting CNG, Hybrid-Electric, Clean Diesel, and Battery Electric options, customers can utilize their funding as it best serves their unique transit system’s needs.
“We are honored to be the trusted partner for each of these awarded agencies, and we look forward to celebrating the impact these new buses will have in their communities,” said Bill Fay, GILLIG’s Vice President of Sales. “GILLIG buses have long set the standard of quality and reliability for American public transit. This historic funding will allow GILLIG and our partners throughout America to shape a greener, cleaner future of our nation’s public transit systems.”
Fitting the trends of transit agencies shifting to cleaner, lower-emission technology, nearly half of GILLIG’s partnerships are utilizing Low-No funding to purchase GILLIG’s zero-emissions Battery Electric Bus. This third-generation iteration of their Battery Electric Bus, dubbed the Gen3, is built on the same proven platform durability as previous generations but now has a battery capacity of up to 686 kWh, as well as increased compatibility with depot and opportunity modular charging solutions, including plug-in, overhead conductive, and wireless inductive charging options.
The Gen 3 Battery Electric bus is built on the industry-proven Low-Floor platform shared across all GILLIG’s bus products, ensuring a high degree of operator and mechanic familiarity and part commonality. But with the all-new battery capacity, this next generation offers a 32% increase from previous models, ensuring customers do not have ‘range anxiety’ as they work to reduce their fleet’s emissions.
The advancement in capacity and range is a result of GILLIG’s new partnership with the modular lithium-ion battery manufacturer AKASOL. AKASOL’s ultra-high energy batteries have industry-leading proprietary safety features and offer various scalable capacity configurations. Alongside the new batteries reducing concerns about range, GILLIG offers customers further support by creating customized charging solutions to be fulfilled with their new Battery Electric Buses.
The GILLIG team works with each customer to tailor their charging solution to the optimal equipment based on their duty cycle and operational needs. They offer a variety of GILLIG-compatible chargers supplied by the largest and most experienced electric vehicle supply manufacturers in the US. Every product meets the latest SAE International standards, and GILLIG independently validates each charger to ensure compatibility.
The FDA allows awardees to utilize funds for supportive Zero-Emissions infrastructure. By choosing GILLIG’s charging solutions, the awardees have the peace of mind that their new Battery Electric Buses can start serving the public from day one. Coupled with GILLIG’s legacy of quality and durability, customers can be confident in their stewardship of this historic investment into a cleaner future for America’s mass transit systems.