Arrival to Build Electric Buses for Anaheim | Commercial EV

Arrival to Manufacture Electric Buses for Anaheim, California

Arrival, a commercial electric vehicle manufacturer pioneering a new approach to auto production through AI-powered microfactories, has been selected to produce electric buses for the City of Anaheim, California.

Federal Grant and 2025 Goal

A $2 million grant was awarded to Anaheim by the Federal Transportation Administration in 2019. Subsequently, the city’s transportation network revealed plans on Thursday to collaborate with Arrival. This partnership aims to realize their objective of operating California’s first entirely electric bus fleet by the year 2025.

First Customer for Lightweight Battery Buses

The U.K.-based Arrival stated that Anaheim, serving transit routes to Disneyland and other regional destinations, will be the inaugural customer for its buses featuring lightweight battery technology. The initial order consists of five 40-foot buses. Further details regarding the launch timeline and subsequent fleet expansions were not immediately available.

Microfactory Production in South Carolina

The buses designated for Anaheim will be assembled at Arrival’s first U.S. microfactory, located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. While Arrival also operates a microfactory in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company’s ambition is to establish a network of 31 such facilities nationwide by the close of 2024.

Workforce Development Initiatives

Arrival’s collaboration with Anaheim Transportation Network extends to include workforce development programs. Eligible students from local community colleges offering electrical and mechanical engineering curricula will have the opportunity to participate in internships. These internships will provide practical experience in the field of zero-emission transportation.

CEO Statement and Future Outlook

“The Arrival Bus is poised to revolutionize public transit upon its deployment,” commented Mike Ableson, CEO of Arrival Automotive. “This initial order from a U.S. transit agency represents merely the first step in our journey.”

Expanding Partnerships

Arrival, having recently become a publicly traded company through a SPAC merger, has already forged several significant partnerships. Last year, an agreement was reached with UPS for the deployment of an initial order of 10,000 electric delivery vehicles by 2024.

In May, the company partnered with Uber to develop a dedicated electric vehicle for ride-hailing services. Furthermore, just last week, an initial order for 3,000 EVs was secured from LeasePlan, a Dutch provider of “car-as-a-service” solutions.