Vicinity Motor Corp. received an initial $2-plus million grant from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), a foundation created by the Canadian government, for the development of zero-emission transit buses.

SDTC helps Canadian entrepreneurs accelerate the development and deployment of globally competitive clean technology solutions. The non-repayable grant from SDTC will help Vicinity to introduce its new all-electric, true low-floor wheelchair-accessible (fully ADA-compliant), mid-sized, medium-duty bus. This project will create an affordable new class of mid-sized, true low-floor buses, providing maximum versatility and an environmentally responsible alternative to buses with traditional combustion engines.

“We are honored and appreciate the significant initial support from SDTC to accelerate the development of the innovative design of the Vicinity Lightning EV, which will mitigate exposure to energy and carbon costs,” said William Trainer, founder and CEO of Vicinity Motor Corp. “As cities and governments around the world continue to establish climate goals, they are rapidly committing the funding needed for zero emission transit options like our breakthrough Vicinity Lightning™ EV.”

SDTC supports companies attempting to do extraordinary things.

From initial funding to educational support and peer learning to market integration, SDTC is invested in helping small and medium-sized businesses grow into successful companies that employ Canadians from coast to coast to coast. SDTC is relentlessly focused on supporting our companies to grow and scale in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

The innovations SDTC funds help solve some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges: climate change, regeneration through the circular economy, and the well-being of humans in the communities they live in and the natural environment they interact with.