Lightning eMotors has begun production of a next-generation Type A electric school bus built on the GM platform. The company says initial orders for nearly 70 next-generation Type A school buses have begun moving across the production floor. Purchased by over 20 school districts across the U.S., many of these zero-emission, all-electric buses are leveraging state funding and/or the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which is providing school districts with $5 billion between 2022 and 2026 to incentivize the electrification of school buses.
Lightning eMotors says it is producing electric school buses on its next-generation Lightning ZEV4, built on the GM 4500 platform. All Lightning ZEV4 models come equipped with 120 kWh batteries packaged between the frame rails. Each powertrain delivers 241 horsepower, 790 lb.-ft. of torque and a range of up to 130 miles. The ZEV4 is also capable of both Level 2 AC and 80 kW DC fast charging, and is V2G compatible.
To date, Lightning eMotors says its vehicles have surpassed 4 million total real-world miles.
