New medium-duty vehicle brand, built on five decades of American bus manufacturing, debuts a purpose-built shuttle designed for public and private fleets and the people who move America
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA – October 5, 2026 – ZAVIR™ (pronounced ZAY-vee-er), the new medium-duty vehicle brand from ElDorado National (California), Inc. (“ENC”), today unveiled its first concept vehicle at the American Public Transportation Association's (“APTA”) EXPO in Chicago: a purpose-built, ground-up electric shuttle for the people who move America, built for the work and ready for the road.
The original concept vehicle revealed is an American-made, ground-up shuttle with future-forward design, including functional aerodynamics, signature lighting, clean proportions, panoramic windshield views, and a futuristic cockpit. It signals a clear ambition: to set a new standard for the medium-duty market rather than follow it.
“ZAVIR™ is ENC betting on the future and moving first,” said Jason Lee, Chief Executive Officer of ENC.
“We spent fifty years learning what it takes to build vehicles that last, and we are putting all of it into a brand built to lead the medium-duty market. This concept vehicle is just the beginning, and there is much more to come.”
ZAVIR™ is built to serve the full breadth of the medium-duty market, both public transit agencies and private fleet operators, across the many applications these vehicles support, from paratransit and campus routes to airport and corporate shuttle service. Rather than limiting operators to a single propulsion type, ZAVIR™ offers a choice of battery-electric and range-extended electric configurations, so fleets can match the vehicle to the route, the budget, and the duty cycle.
Most shuttles in this class begin life as a legacy narrow-body van or a cutaway chassis built for another purpose, with a passenger body added afterward. ZAVIR™ took the opposite approach. The vehicle architecture, electric drive, accessibility features, and interior were engineered together from the start, so each system works with the others rather than around them. The result is a shuttle built for dependability: clean, capable, and ready for real-world operators.
“Operators have spent years making do with vans and cutaways that were never built for the job. ZAVIR changes that,” said Thomas Allen, Vice President of Shuttle Sales at ENC.
“We engineered this shuttle from the ground up and for real-world budgets, around the people who ride it, drive it, and keep it running, and we built it for both public agencies and private fleets. We are showing it now so operators can help shape it before it reaches the market. ”
Two variants of the concept shuttle were revealed today: a low-floor configuration and a high-floor configuration. They measure 22 feet long and 8 feet wide, offer seating for up to 18 passengers plus standees, and provide wheelchair access by lift or ramp.
Operators can choose between two propulsion options: a battery-electric (“EV”) configuration with an estimated range of 150 miles, or a range-extended electric (“REEV”) configuration that adds a high efficiency gasoline generator, refuels with standard fuel, and extends total range to over 450 miles for longer routes and cold-weather operation. The battery-electric configuration supports DC fast charging at up to 200 kW.
The vehicle unveiled in ENC’s booth #1006 at APTA EXPO is a concept vehicle. ENC anticipates the ZAVIR™ vehicle completing Federal Transit Administration (“FTA”) bus testing at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center next year, with reservations of the ZAVIR™ shuttle anticipated to open in late 2027. Commercial availability and production launch of the vehicle at ENC's Jurupa Valley facility are estimated for 2028.
“Building heavy-duty buses teaches you what survives real service and what fails early, because we have done it for decades, ” said Mike Crostic, Vice President of Operations at ENC.
“ZAVIR draws on that experience and the same Jurupa Valley operation and quality systems behind our transit buses, so that when this shuttle reaches production, it is ready for the demands of daily service, public or private.”
Attendees can see the ZAVIR™ concept vehicle on the APTA EXPO show floor at booth #1006, October 4 to 7 in Chicago, shown alongside ENC's proven AXESS® lineup. Build your shuttle today at zavir.us.
ABOUT ZAVIR™
ZAVIR™ is a new brand of ENC. Born from ENC's five decades of American vehicle-building experience, ZAVIR™ is developing a new generation of purpose-built electric and range-extended electric shuttles and cargo vehicles, engineered to elevate and transform the U.S. medium-duty commercial market and serving both public transit agencies and private fleet operators. ZAVIR exists to elevate American transportation from ordinary to exceptional, with vehicles that are dependable, economical, and built for real-world fleets.
ZAVIR™ is built around a simple idea: commercial vehicles should work better for the people who drive them, ride in them, and depend on them every day. Combining purpose-built design, intelligent technology, and flexible vehicle architecture, ZAVIR™ is creating a new standard for modern commercial mobility. Learn more at zavir.us.
ABOUT ENC®
Founded in 1975, ENC is a leading U.S. heavy-duty transit bus manufacturer with over 50 years of experience delivering safe and reliable Altoona-tested vehicles. Headquartered in Jurupa Valley, California, ENC manufactures every vehicle end-to-end in the United States and offers one of the industry's most comprehensive propulsion portfolios, including battery-electric, clean diesel, hybrid, and compressed natural gas buses in multiple configurations. A subsidiary of Rivaz, Inc., ENC is committed to revitalizing American transit manufacturing.
To learn more, visit eldorado-ca.com.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
ZAVIR™ is a brand of ElDorado National (California), Inc. (“ENC”), a subsidiary of Rivaz, Inc. ZAVIR™ is a trademark of ENC.
This press release contains forward-looking statements about ENC's product development, production plans, and market positioning, including those of its ZAVIR™ brand, which reflect its current expectations, estimates, and projections about its business based on currently available information and assumptions made by management.
These statements are not guarantees of future performance, and involve risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted herein.
The ZAVIR™ shuttle shown at APTA EXPO 2026 is a concept vehicle. Products, features, and specifications described in this release are in development and have not entered production. Stated dimensions, ranges, capacities, and other specifications are design targets and may change. Estimated timelines, including FTA Altoona testing anticipated in 2027 and commercial availability anticipated in 2028, are targets only. Products may be modified, delayed, or canceled, and may not be released to the market. Specifications, availability, pricing, and timing are subject to change without notice.
References to “clean diesel,” “zero-emission,” or other environmental benefits are based on ENC's internal assessments and industry standards. These claims are intended to describe the potential environmental benefits of ENC's products and are not guarantees of specific environmental outcomes. Actual results may vary based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, usage patterns, maintenance practices, and regulatory changes.
Claims that vehicles are manufactured “end-to-end” at ENC's Jurupa Valley, California manufacturing facility means final assembly and significant processing occur at our facility in Riverside, California, and products may use both domestic and imported components. Specific domestic content percentages vary by model and are available upon request.
Statements regarding compliance with “Buy America,” “FTA,” and “Altoona-tested” standards are based on ENC's current understanding and interpretation of applicable regulations. These statements are subject to change based on future regulatory developments and interpretations. ENC advises customers to verify compliance status at the time of purchase.
ZAVIR™ vehicles have not yet completed Federal Transit Administration bus testing at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center, and are not yet in production. References in this release to Altoona testing, “end-to-end” manufacturing, or Buy America compliance describe ENC's current transit buses, or ZAVIR's design intent, and are not statements that ZAVIR™ vehicles have been tested, certified, or found compliant. Compliance will be confirmed at the time of production and purchase.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
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