USA – Optimal EV is an American company which has flown under the industry radar for several years. Indeed, the latest news story about the company on our website – a partnership agreed with Fontaine Modification – was published in January 2023, referring to an announcement made at the end of 2022. According to Shawn Furman, Sales Manager for Optimal EV’s transit business, who spoke to T&BB at the latest ACT Expo, the company has preferred to keep a low profile over the last couple of years, especially given the bad press which EVs are receiving. While competitors such as Lightning eMotors have gone under, Optimal EV has been quietly working away on its main offerings, an electric chassis-cab and a battery electric low floor shuttle bus.

The low floor shuttle bus, called ‘S1’, is Optimal EV’s flagship product, according to Furman, and an example of the range was displayed at the expo. It is a 14,500-lb (GVWR) low-floor vehicle with an 11-inch “no-kneel” step-in height, allowing for easy ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance with the addition of a wheelchair ramp. It is powered by an electric motor which is mounted at the rear and which provides 280 kW of power and 1,700 Nm of torque. Seating arrangements depend on the configuration: two options include seating for twenty passengers or seating for thirteen plus space for three wheelchair passengers.