A major electric vehicle manufacturer that has supplied buses to Fresno’s public transit service says it is seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Proterra, based in the Bay Area city of Burlingame, is a supplier to transit systems across the nation. A statement on the company’s website Monday said that it intends to maintain normal operations and will file motions with the court to use existing capital to keep funding operations, including paying employees, vendors and suppliers.

Fresno Area Express currently operates nine Proterra electric buses on routes around the city.

We are on our way to becoming electric! We plan on releasing two zero-emission buses to our fleet, beginning around November 1st, 2021, with seven additional electric buses by mid-2022. This will be a positive change for our city and our riders. #Fresno #FresnoFAX @CityofFresno pic.twitter.com/sBU1hoQKx2

— @FresnoFAX (@FresnoFAX) August 6, 2021

President Joe Biden visited the company’s factory in South Carolina in 2021 to highlight U.S. electric vehicle makers.

The company said in the statement that it’s taking action to separate its business units “to maximize their independent potential.” It sells heavy truck, van, bus and off-highway equipment equipment in the U.S., European and Asia-Pacific markets.

“While our best-in-class EV and battery technologies have set an industry standard, we have faced various market and macroeconomic headwinds, that have impacted our ability to efficiently scale all of our opportunities simultaneously,” CEO Gareth Joyce said in the statement. “As commercial vehicles accelerate towards electrification, we look forward to sharpening our focus as a leading EV battery technology supplier for the benefit of our many stakeholders.”