Lightning eMotors has reached an agreement with General Motors to be the first GM Specialty Vehicle Manufacturer (SVM) to provide fully electric Class 3 through Class 6 commercial vehicles.
Under the agreement, Lightning eMotors will electrify medium-duty truck platforms provided by General Motors, which can be used for several vehicle applications like school buses, shuttle buses, delivery trucks, work trucks and more.
General Motors Fleet provides a variety of platforms which are designed for qualified specialty vehicle manufacturing customers to upfit vehicles across a broad range of industries and applications.
“We are thrilled that GM is working with Lightning eMotors to make GM’s medium-duty truck platform the basis for new electric vehicles,” says Lightning eMotors’ CEO and co-founder Tim Reeser. “GM’s inclusive approach to electrification is a great match for Lightning’s position and role as a leading powertrain supplier in the commercial vehicle space. Commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle powertrains are complex, with thousands of unique components, requiring years of custom software development and on-road testing – and Lightning has products in fleet use today and ready for customers to roll out this year.”
Lightning has developed a flexible manufacturing approach that provides scalable and cost-effective electrification for medium-duty specialty vehicles such as utility trucks, school buses and ambulances. Electrifying these vehicles results in large operating cost savings, better performance, and zero tailpipe emissions.
“GM has a long history in commercial vehicle markets,” states Kash Sethi, Lightning eMotors’ chief revenue officer. “Lightning’s products are purpose-fit for these vehicles, classes and applications, allowing us to move quickly to support our medium-duty truck and bus partners and customers.”
Lightning eMotors will electrify certain GM platforms at its manufacturing campus2 in Loveland, Colorado. Completed chassis will be shipped to commercial vehicle manufacturers.
“GM has provided chassis to commercial vehicle upfitters and fleets for many years, so to now offer electrified versions of these vehicles with Lightning’s powertrains demonstrates our joint vision towards an electrified future that is putting vehicles on the road today,” adds Reeser. “We are at the forefront of specialty vehicle fleet electrification.”