The Lion Electric Company a leading manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles based in Quebec, Canada, announced that it has commenced customer deliveries of its newly launched LionD school buses in California.
The LionD, which addresses the largest vehicle type within the school bus segment, offers (with the configuration to be sold in the United States) seating capacity for 83 children and a range of up to 250 km (155 miles) on a single charge.
The launch of this new model reaffirms Lion’s unwavering commitment to safe zero-emission transportation providing cleaner air for children and communities in North America, as each LionD school bus put into operation is estimated to eliminate up to 23 tons of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) per year, while preventing students from exposure to hazardous particulate emissions from diesel engines.
“We’re excited for customers to deploy their LionDs and experience all that they have to offer. These electric school buses, which are in high demand on the West Coast, are manufactured in the United States at our Joliet, Illinois facility,” said Nicolas Brunet, President of Lion. “The zero-emission LionD will improve the well-being of our customers and society for years to come and I couldn’t be prouder of our entire team for working resiliently to bring this new platform to life,” he continued.
LionD takes School Bus Innovation to the next level
The LionD has been designed with safety at the forefront, as with every product engineered by Lion—from improved air quality and reduced noise pollution to an extra-wide center aisle making for efficient entry/exiting as well as improved rearward driver visibility. It has a programmable low-speed sound generator, forward visibility optimized front windshield for improved sight of cross traffic and student safety when walking in front of the bus, and an ergonomically designed driver cockpit.
Built on the successful foundation of the all-electric LionC, which has been transporting students across North America for more than eight years, the LionD takes school bus innovation to the next level. It is the first Lion bus to feature Lion’s driver-centric cockpit with a liquid crystal display interface that has been specifically engineered for managing electric operational performance.
Purpose-built for electric, the LionD is advantaged by its design with an all-electric powertrain that offers lower energy and maintenance costs compared to traditional diesel-powered school buses. Similar to the LionC, it features rust-free composite body panels, staircase, and low-voltage battery compartment, as well as a modular lower skirt and one-piece seamless fibreglass roof that eliminates thousands of rivets and potential leak points—minimizing service expenses and maximizing uptime.
Success team
As with all of Lion’s products, school districts and contractors considering the LionD have direct access to the Lion Customer Success team, who are experts in supporting the transition to zero emissions and maximizing customer operational success. The support extends from charging infrastructure with LionEnergy, financing assistance with LionCapital Solutions and funding support services provided by the LionGrants team, to driver/maintenance/safety training from Lion’s BrightSquad and proprietary EV telematics with LionBeat.
Currently, federal, state and local funding, and incentives such as the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, California HVIP, the IRA clean commercial vehicle tax credit (IRC 45W) and others can be applied for to assist with the purchase of a LionD.
School districts and fleet customers ready to start their electrification journey are invited to contact Lion Electric at [email protected].
