WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Wichita Transit has received a $3.95 million award from the Federal Transit Administration.
The funds will be used to purchase 10 Vicinity Motor Corp Optimal S1LF electric vehicles and pay for the installation of five 150kW in-depot charging stations. The all electric low-floor vans will replace the city’s current demand-response vans, often utilized by the disabled.
Wichita Transit started transitioning to electric vehicles starting back in 2019 and has been replacing its diesel fleet with the American-made electric buses. It was the first city in Kansas to transition its fleet to electric.
“Transitioning to a zero-emission fleet will provide cleaner air that benefits the Wichita population, and these battery-powered vans combined with two-hour recharging capability really moves the needle in cost-saving to transit,” said Mike Tann, transit director for the Wichita Department of Transportation, in a news release.
The city expects to take delivery of the new vehicles in spring 2023.