Phoenix Motorcars Delivers All-Electric, Zero-Emission Shuttle Bus to Tennessee Tech University
Phoenix Motorcars Delivers All-Electric, Zero-Emission Shuttle Bus to Tennessee Tech University
Anaheim, California (April 12, 2023) – Phoenix Motorcars is proud to announce their recent delivery of an all-electric, zero-emission Z400 shuttle bus to UCHRA in partnership with Tennessee Technological University. The shuttle was built on a Ford E-450 chassis powered by Phoenix Motorcars and will serve the campus. This electric vehicle was funded in part by Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Vehicle Technologies Office. It is owned by Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) and is the first all-electric vehicle to be operated outside of an urban area.
The project was headed by a team of dedicated faculty and graduate students led by Pingen Chen, Ph.D., associate professor of mechanical engineering at Tech. “We are proud to have the very first electric shuttle bus anywhere outside of a major Tennessee city. Working with UCHRA, we fought through a lot of challenges and, in the end, showed our persistence and resiliency in making it happen,” said Chen.
UCHRA and Tennessee Tech plan to use the electric shuttle for a variety of uses, including providing on-campus transportation for Tech students, faculty and guests over the coming weeks before eventually transitioning the vehicle for use throughout Cookeville. Chen and UCHRA say that, in addition to being more environmentally friendly, riders can expect a quieter travel experience on the electric shuttle bus compared to gas-powered vehicles. The electric shuttle is also projected to have a lower total cost of ownership, which includes not only the up-front purchase cost but also operational and maintenance costs.
The Phoenix Z400 shuttle is equipped with a 125-kWh battery pack offering up to 130-mile range and can be fully charged in approximately two to three hours with a 50-kW Level III charger. The Z400 shuttles, as compared to its equivalent fossil fueled alternatives, will reduce atmospheric emissions by ~61 tons per vehicle annually, reduce maintenance costs by 75% and fuel costs by 80%.
Phoenix has been the leader in medium duty electrification for over a decade. With 4 million all-electric miles driven on their zero emission drive systems, Phoenix has unparalleled experience and expertise helping public and private fleets successfully deploy and adopt electric vehicles into their fleets, cleaning the air quality and providing clean, quiet and safe zero emission transportation and mobility for their companies and communities.
“Phoenix Motorcars is thrilled to have partnered with Tennessee Tech, UCHRA, Creative Bus Sales, and TDOT to bring the 1st All-Electric Zero Emission Shuttle Bus to rural Tennessee. We are so very excited to be a part of this project and bring our zero-emission technology to life in such a beautiful part of the country. We hope this collaboration sparks a new trend for green transportation in Tennessee and look forward to continuing our support of this project and our partners.” Says Thomas Allen, Vice President of Sales at Phoenix Motorcars.
About Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency
The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency (UCHRA) was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1973 to be the delivery system for human resources in the 14 counties of the region: Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, and White, please visit UCHRA – Assisting The Upper Cumberland
About Phoenix Motor Inc.
Phoenix Motorcars is a leader in developing medium-duty electric vehicles for commercial markets with a primary focus on class 4 vehicles. Phoenix Motorcars strives to provide fleets with clean transportation and renewable energy through advanced technology solutions and remains committed to excellence in electric vehicle innovation. Phoenix Motorcars offers a range of vehicle configurations, including shuttle buses, utility trucks, service trucks, flatbed trucks, walk-in vans, cargo trucks and school buses.
Phoenix Motorcars
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Anaheim, CA 92807
909-987-0815
Media Contact:
Dave Davis, Marketing Manager
marketing@phoenixmotorcars.com