OAK PARK, MI - Azure Dynamics Corp. said that King County, Wash., has purchased 24 of Azure's Balance Hybrid Electric buses for the county's Access Transportation services.  

King County awarded this contract with the support of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) stimulus funds aimed at providing fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly transportation solutions. Under a competitive bid process, the contract was awarded to EK Coaches, the dealership of record for the Azure Balance Hybrid Electric drivetrain on a Ford E450 chassis. 

StarTrans Bus, a Supreme Corp. company, provided the 22-foot shuttle bus bodies. They have a capacity of up to 12 seated passengers along with two wheelchair positions. The vehicles are expected to be delivered later this year.

"As environmental awareness grows and vehicle operating costs continue to escalate, we're seeing strongly increased demand for our products from local governments and municipalities all across the country," said Jay Sandler, vice president of sales at Azure. "Our Balance Hybrid Electric product specifically addresses those issues so we expect demand to continue to grow."

Azure Dynamics Corp. is a leader in the development and production of hybrid electric and electric components and powertrain systems for commercial vehicles.