US bus manufacturer ENC has unveiled a new medium-duty electric shuttle concept at the APTA EXPO in Chicago, expanding its vehicle range beyond heavy-duty transit buses.
The ZAVIR shuttle was presented on 5 October as part of ENC’s plans to develop a purpose-built vehicle range for shuttle and paratransit applications.
Two versions of the concept vehicle were shown at the event: a low-floor configuration and a high-floor configuration. Both are 22 feet (6.7 metres) long and 8 feet (2.4 metres) wide, with seating for up to 18 passengers plus standees.
The vehicles are designed to accommodate wheelchair users through either a lift or ramp.
ZAVIR has been developed as a purpose-built vehicle rather than adapting a van or cutaway chassis originally designed for another application. The vehicle architecture, electric drivetrain, accessibility systems and interior were developed together. The concept also features a panoramic windscreen and a cockpit designed specifically for the shuttle.
For operators, the vehicle is intended to provide an alternative to conventional shuttle designs that use a passenger body mounted onto a separate commercial vehicle chassis.
Thomas Allen, Vice President of Shuttle Sales at ENC, said:Shuttle and paratransit operators have spent years adapting vehicles that were never designed for their routes. The ZAVIR concept vehicle we are showing at APTA is our answer: a shuttle engineered from the ground up and designed for real world budgets, around the people who ride it, drive it, and keep it running. We are showing it now so operators can help shape it before it reaches the market.
ENC plans to offer ZAVIR with two electric propulsion configurations. The battery-electric version is expected to have a range of around 150 miles (241 km) and support DC fast charging at up to 200 kW.
A range-extended electric version will use a petrol-powered generator to provide additional energy. ENC estimates that this configuration will offer a total range of more than 450 miles (724 km), making it suitable for longer routes and operation in colder conditions where energy consumption can increase.
The vehicle displayed at APTA EXPO is a concept rather than a production model. ENC expects the ZAVIR shuttle to undergo Federal Transit Administration (FTA) bus testing at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center in 2027. Reservations are expected to open in late 2027, with commercial availability and production at ENC’s Jurupa Valley, California facility currently targeted for 2028.
The new shuttle programme will use the engineering teams, supplier relationships and manufacturing operation that support its existing heavy-duty bus production.
ZAVIR is being displayed alongside ENC’s AXESS range at APTA EXPO, including the AXESS EVO-HEV diesel-electric hybrid bus. The APTA EXPO is taking place in Chicago from 4–7 October 2026.
