Frontrunner Bus Group has also delivered over 100 Frontrunners to various Veterans Affairs ( VA ) facilities across the country , including Alaska and Hawaii . The vehicle is gaining popularity among senior living facilities , particularly those where the residents have input into the transportation decision-making process . Due to its growing market penetration and the ongoing supply chain shortages from other manufacturers , customers who might typically have bought a traditional high-step cutaway are looking at the low-floor Frontrunner . “ We welcome those new customers because we are confident that once they own a Frontrunner , they won ’ t go back ,” LaRose said .
Going Green – and What ’ s Next ? With the rise in gas prices , LaRose noted that the Frontrunner is the “ greenest alternative ” to a fully electric vehicle available in its size class . The combination of fuel efficiency , higher residual value , lower maintenance costs , and superior efficiency make it an attractive proven alternative to an emerging but nascent electric bus market . Compared to a traditional cutaway with often unreliable and maintenance-heavy wheelchair lifts , the Frontrunner represents a cost-effective solution to customers across multiple industry sectors . Frontrunner Bus Group has made a strategic and measured decision to not bring an electrified Frontrunner to market before it can achieve real-world range of 250 + miles on a single charge across all climate conditions . While the lightweight composite bus structure and chassis of the Frontrunner lends itself to increased range based on weight savings alone , LaRose also noted that “ current electric technology and charging infrastructures are simply not developed enough for Frontrunner Bus Group to achieve its goals for an electrified Frontrunner ." LaRose remarked that an electrified Frontrunner would be a complete ground-up electric bus . He believes this approach avoids unnecessary compromises in battery placement , weight , ride quality , and aerodynamic efficiency that designers and manufacturers of internal combustion engine retrofits must make . While LaRose would not say exactly when he expects the EV Frontrunner to be available , or how far along they are in its development , he did offer that it would be available in two size classes , have the lowest coefficient of drag in the industry , be a true purpose-built , fully electric cutaway-sized bus , and achieve its goal of 250 + miles of useable range .
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