UK-based bus manufacturer Mellor is entering the Canadian market with its Sigma battery-electric bus range by appointing Overland Custom Coach as its exclusive distributor there.
Overland Custom Coach, which was established in 1981, will take on sales and service responsibilities in Canada as part of Mellor’s planned expansion into several overseas territories. The North American country is one of a key strategic target market for Mellor as one of several currently being explored “while fine-tuning its product offerings to cater to diverse global demand”, the business says.
The Sigma models, which range from 7 to 12 metres, are equipped with a stainless steel monocoque design, lightweight construction and low-floor accessibility and have range in excess of 200km using cobalt-free LFP batteries.
Gustavo Marqueta, Business Development Director at Mellor’s parent company, WN VTech, says: “Having been embedded in the Canadian transit market as a leading bus supplier since 1981, Overland’s rich history and customer-centric philosophy partnered with Mellor’s ingenuity and elite engineering expertise will provide our Canadian customers with a progressive and secure e-mobility experience.”
The first Sigma vehicles certified to Canadian standards will enter the market in early 2024.
Bart Dries, President of Overland Custom Coach, adds: “We first approached Mellor over a decade ago, having identified our shared customer-driven business acumen to design and supply innovative, size-appropriate transit vehicle solutions. The time is now right for the globally proven Sigma all-electric suite of buses to answer the call of the Canadian transit community and deliver world-leading zero-emission technology in an unprecedented range of sizes and capacities.
“Not only does this partnership drive forward the growth of Mellor and Overland, but it also propels a whole new generation of zero-emission, specialised and on-demand transit service delivery modes for all of Canada.”
