Lion Electric, its partners and the government of Quebec, Canada, say they are launching a major project to integrate equipment and technology into all-electric heavy vehicles.
The estimated $15.8 million project, to which the government is contributing $7.9 million, will allow the development, in Quebec, of the only heavy electric specialty vehicles “perfectly” integrated to date, the company said. The project will lead to the manufacture in Quebec of a new generation of all-electric ambulances and various types of specialty urban vehicles, including refuse trucks and bucket trucks. The mobilization of seven industry partners marks the start of a movement toward electric trucking in Quebec’s urban centers, and an industry that will generate economic benefits and contribute to a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
“The partnership announced today sends a strong signal that the government and industry are united in their desire to accelerate Quebec’s energy transition by revolutionizing the urban trucking industry,” said Marc Bédard, president and founder of Lion Electric. “Thanks to its world-renowned expertise, The Lion Electric Co is proud to be a central part of this innovative project and to work with like-minded companies to highlight the potential for large-scale deployment of our multi-purpose electric vehicles.”
Saint-Jérôme-based Lion designs and assembles all of the components of urban trucks in Classes 5 to 8, as well as the all-electric minibus, whose chassis and electric powertrain will serve as a platform to accommodate the various applications. In their respective fields of expertise, the partner companies will work to develop, manufacture and integrate specialized equipment and technologies on Lion electric vehicles.
“TRANSIT Truck Bodies is proud to contribute to the development of more efficient equipment for the transport of dry, specialized and refrigerated goods, while collaborating in the development of technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Louis Leclair, president of TRANSIT. “This project is an important step in our commitment, ongoing since 1978, to provide sustainable products and services that exceed our customers’ expectations.”
The government’s contribution to the project gives significant impetus to the industry’s research and development efforts to accelerate growth, and further integrate the electric road transport sector into the markets, Lion maintained.
“I am very pleased with the financial contribution announced this morning by my colleague, the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Mr Pierre Fitzgibbon,” said Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change. “Electric heavy vehicles targeted by the mobilizing project announced today have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec and abroad totaling nearly 3 million tonnes of CO2 over a horizon of 10 years after their commercialization.
“This is an important contribution to the achievement of our global objective to improve Quebec’s environmental footprint, including in the transportation sector.”
With the use of heavy gasoline-powered vehicles being responsible for nearly 50% of urban motor traffic and generating substantial volumes of GHGs and noise pollution, it is imperative that the electric road transport sector accelerate its growth and develop sustainable solutions that are compatible with urban spaces.
Ultimately, the announced investments will make it possible to produce all-electric heavy-duty vehicles in Québec, with an 80% reduction in energy costs, a 60% reduction in maintenance costs and 100% more environmentally friendly footprint than the combustion vehicles currently in use in our cities, Lion concluded.
“The City of St. Jérôme is proud of La Compagnie Électrique Lion’s dynamism and sustained commitment,” said Stéphane Maher, mayor of St. Jérôme. “The mobilization announced (Nov. 22) is structuring, innovative and significant for the region as well as for the whole province of Quebec. More than ever, it is essential for all actors to unite to reduce our environmental footprint and face the challenges of climate change.”
At a glance:
- The collaborative project being launched by the partners is estimated at $15.8 million, which includes $7.9 million from the Government of Quebec;
- Seven partners have committed to the project: The Lion Electric Co, Demers Ambulances, Posi-Plus Technologies, TRANSIT Truck Bodies, Boivin Evolution, PRAN System and MAXIMETAL;
- The project will open the door to the Quebec-based manufacture of a variety of all-electric urban trucks and vehicles: dry cargo or refrigerated freight trucks, mobile workshop trucks, bucket trucks, refuse trucks and ambulances;
- The all-electric Lion urban truck, which will be equipped with specialty equipment, is entirely designed and made in Quebec and boasts a 400-kilometer range;
- The all-electric Lion minibus will be the basis for a new generation of ambulances with technological enhancements and emphasis on patient comfort;
- By contributing to the electrification of transport, this project—which will revolutionize the use of heavy vehicles in urban centers—plays a crucial role in Quebec’s energy transition.