Details of Cars

MCI J4500: MCI’s tour and charter coach

MCI

MCI J4500 on Lower Jarvis Street, Toronto
An MCI J4500 on Lower Jarvis Street, Toronto. Photo by OldYorkGuy, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The MCI J4500 is the tour and charter coach of the J-Series, introduced in 2001. It combined the modern body of the E-Series with the simpler on-board technology of the D-Series, and after a facelift in 2013 it became the main coach in MCI’s range.

MCI J4500 at a glance

MCI J4500 key facts
Introduced 2001, at the UMA Motorcoach Expo
Position between the D4500 and the E4500
Body Designworks design from the E-Series, with minor changes
Length 45 ft
Width 102 in
Built at Crookston, Minnesota and Winnipeg, Manitoba
2004 update disc brakes added as an option
2010 update Bendix suspension system
2013 facelift new headlights, more squared-off body, steerable tag axle
2018 update new interior, luggage lights as an option
Electric version J4500 CHARGE, 2021, 200 miles of range

This page is based on the English Wikipedia article on the J-Series, so it relies on one source.

History of the MCI J4500

Filling a gap

MCI J4500 coach in Toronto
MCI J4500 coach in Toronto. Photo by OldYorkGuy, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

MCI introduced the J-Series in 2001 at the UMA Motorcoach Expo. The new coach kept most of the Designworks body of the E-Series with minor changes, but many of the E-Series’ on-board technologies were left out to appeal to customers who wanted a modern-looking coach at a lower price with simpler systems. The J4500 that year filled the gap between the D4500 and the E4500, combining the E-Series design with the D-Series’ more basic technology. Disc brakes became an option in 2004 and a Bendix suspension system was added in 2010 to improve handling.

The 2013 facelift

In 2013 MCI redesigned the J-Series with new headlights and a more squared-off body, and added features such as a steerable tag axle. The changes also meant the end of the E-Series, which was quietly discontinued as the J-Series took over its place. In 2018 the interior was redesigned and luggage lights became an option.

Electric and shorter versions

In May 2018 MCI announced that its prototype battery-electric J-Series coach, then called the J4500e, had completed the first phase of testing. In 2021 the production version arrived as the J4500 CHARGE, with a range of 200 miles and Siemens electric motors. The J3500, a 35-foot version introduced in 2018 to compete with other short coaches, was MCI’s first 35-foot coach since the DINA-built F3500; the first one was delivered to Tuscaloosa Charter Service in January 2019.

Design and features

  • E-Series body: the Designworks shape with simplified systems beneath it.
  • Middle of the range: slotted between the intercity D4500 and the upscale E4500.
  • 2013 facelift: new headlights, a squarer body and a steerable tag axle.
  • Electric option: the J4500 CHARGE with 200 miles of range and Siemens motors.

MCI J4500 versions

  • J4500 (2001–): the 45-foot coach.
  • J4500 CHARGE (2021–): battery-electric version.
  • J3500 (2018–): the 35-foot version.
  • J4500e: the prototype electric coach tested from 2018.

The coach the J-Series was derived from is described in MCI E4500, and the intercity D-Series in MCI D4500. More coaches are in the MCI collection.

Video: MCI J4500 coach tour

Video on YouTube.

Sources

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