Loveland, Colorado-based Lightning eMotors, a provider of zero-emission, medium-duty commercial vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) technologies for fleets, announced the production launch of its General Motors-based Lightning ZEV4 work trucks.
This follows the company’s recent announcements of accelerated ZEV4 production to meet customer demands for Class 4 school buses and shuttle buses built on the same platform.
Lightning is offering the ZEV4 for several vehicle applications, including box trucks, stake-bed trucks, utility trucks, dump bed trucks, daily work/landscaping trucks, cargo delivery vehicles, and more.
“Success in the commercial vehicle electrification market frequently revolves around providing customized products to meet the specific use cases of customers. This is where we have carved our niche,” Lightning eMotors CEO Tim Reeser said.
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“The fact that our trusted ZEV4 platforms can be built to accommodate such a broad set of applications is a huge benefit to our customers and positions. Lightning will be the vehicle manufacturer of choice for the growing medium-duty commercial vehicle market.”
The Lightning ZEV4 model has 120-kilowatt batteries located within the frame rails, delivering 241 horsepower, 790 lb.-ft. of torque, and up to 130 miles of range as well as improved weight distribution for better handling and improved safety, the company said in a release. The Lightning ZEV4 is capable of Level 2 AC and 80-kilowatt DC fast charging.
To help accelerate fleet vehicle electrification efforts, several state and federal-level funding programs are available across North America to help offset the cost significantly.
- In the U.S., state-level programs, including California’s Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP), New York’s Truck Voucher Incentive Program (NYTVIP), New Jersey’s Zero-Emission Incentive Program (NJZIP), and Colorado’s Clean Fleet Vehicle & Technology Grant Program, among others, can provide up to $100,000 in incentives per Class 4 vehicle.
- The passing of the federal $1.2 trillion Infrastructure and Jobs Act and incentives that are part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act—including the Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit—have provided billions in new funding for both commercial EV acquisition and infrastructure.
- Canadian incentive programs, including Incentives for Medium- and Heavy-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicles Program (iMHZEV), the Zero-Emission Transit Fund, and the Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, can not only help offset the cost of fleet vehicle electrification to nearly zero as many of these programs can be stacked, they also provide funding to accelerate the provision of EV charging solutions, both mobile (such as Lightning Mobile) and as installed infrastructure.
“There has never been a better time for Class 4 work truck operators to upgrade their fleets to zero-emission vehicle technology,” Lightning eMotors CRO Kash Sethi said. “Aggressive funding programs—many of which can be stacked to optimize both purchase subsidies and tax incentives—combined with advanced data tracking and insights capabilities and the reliability and proven performance of our GM-based Lightning ZEV4 create a near-perfect environment for operators to act.”
See also: Lightning eMotors demos new EV chargers at DFW
Lightning’s ZEV4 platform is compatible with a variety of bodies from manufacturers including Knapheide, Rockport Trucks, Brown Industries, and Morgan Corp. At current production volumes, ZEV4 work trucks are typically available for delivery four to six months from the order date.
