The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) board approved the award of 220 40-foot AXESS EVO-BE battery-electric transit buses to ENC, a subsidiary of Rivaz Inc.

Approved on September 24, it is the largest base award of 40-foot battery-electric transit buses by a U.S. transit agency.

"Metro's decision reflects confidence in our people, our product, and our ability to deliver at scale," said Jason Lee, ENC’s CEO. "We commend Stephanie Wiggins and the Metro team for the steady leadership that is moving Los Angeles County toward a cleaner, more modern transit system. ENC is ready to work with Metro on the next steps at full speed."

LA’s New ENCs

ENC will build every bus at its 227,000-square-foot, ISO 9001-certified facility in Jurupa Valley, California. More than 300 Californians work at ENC’s facility, handling every stage of production from frame welding and painting to final assembly and testing, company officials said.

“Los Angeles County riders deserve clean, reliable transit and this award moves our region closer to a zero-emission bus fleet that brings cleaner air to the neighborhoods we serve,” said Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “This investment will create good-paying jobs, strengthen our local economy, and provide our riders with more reliable service for years to come.”

The AXESS EVO-BE® is ENC's next-generation battery-electric heavy-duty transit bus. It pairs the BAE Systems® Gen3 electric drive system with up to 738 kWh of energy storage. Altoona-tested and built on ENC's 304-grade stainless steel structure, it is available in 33-, 35-, and 40-foot configurations, each fully ADA-compliant with configurable floorplans designed to serve diverse community needs.

"An award of this scale is built on trust, and we intend to keep earning it every day," said John Obert, VP, Transit Sales, at ENC. "Our California team will build these buses close to the communities they serve, with the quality and reliability Metro riders count on. We are proud of the good jobs this work represents for hundreds of Californians, and of the role these buses will play in how Los Angeles County moves."

ENC Invests in California Production and Growth

ENC has manufactured transit buses in California since 1975 and has reinvested since Rivaz assumed ownership in 2024. The company has committed more than $50 million to facility upgrades, workforce development, and production readiness.

ENC offers clean diesel, CNG, diesel-electric hybrid, and battery-electric buses from its Jurupa Valley, Calif facility. The manufacturer is also planning to expand annual production capacity from its historical 250 to 300 buses to as many as 800 to 1,000 buses within four to five years.