Commercial electrification specialist Lightning eMotors is celebrating its latest achievement in the form of Altoona test certification for ZEV3 battery electric passenger vehicles. Having been certified through extensive testing by the Federal Transportation Administration (FTA), the ZEV3 will be the first Class 3 battery electric van to pass his Altoona, and the purchase will qualify for subsidies at both the federal and state levels. can now be obtained.
Lightning eMotors ($ZEV) designs, engineers, customizes and manufactures a wide range of EVs to support the growing and varied needs of our fleet customers. In addition to offering specialized electric conversions of existing platforms developed by other his OEMs such as Ford and GM, it has been offering customers purpose-built EVs on its own platform since early 2022.
In addition to building EVs, Lightning eMotors has also begun exploring other EV-adjacent technologies such as autonomous capabilities, wireless EV charging, and enhanced charging infrastructure under its Lightning Mobile division.
Lightning’s ZEV4 passenger bus previously received Altoona test certification from the FTA. This is a requirement for electric buses to receive funding from federal and state governments participating in the FTA’s Low and No Emissions Grant program. The program consists of $4 billion in grants available over the next four years to purchase or lease zero-emission transit buses like the ZEV4.
Today, Lightning eMotors announced that its all-electric ZEV3 passenger van is also Altoona certified, joining ZEV4 as a subsidized transport vehicle.
Electric van from Lightning eMotors gains further success
Lightning eMotors explained how rigorous Altoona’s testing process is to ensure that the electric vans can withstand the daily use they have to endure while transporting passengers in their respective cities.
Altoona certification consists of a set of standardized procedures that measure vehicle maintainability, reliability, safety, performance, structural integrity and noise pollution. Since ZEVs are also battery electric vehicles, their testing process also included evaluating range and efficiency. Nick Bettis, Lightning eMotors’ Vice President of Marketing and Sales, said:
Fleet managers rely on Altoona testing to ensure that the vehicles they purchase are tested to meet the demands of transportation applications over the years and thousands of miles. This certification confirms that our ZEV3 passenger van can withstand the toughest punishments and ensure the safety of its occupants.
Transportation agencies are beginning to look to micro transit and battery electric vehicle solutions to complement traditional buses. This change necessitated a smaller vehicle to complete Altoona testing and make it available. Our HIS ZEV3 platform has long been one of the most popular platforms for commercial fleet HIS operators. Altoona’s test certification now gives transit fleet managers confidence that the Lightning ZEV3 will provide the durability needed for transit use and is eligible for FTA subsidies.
The ZEV3 is built on a fully electrified Ford Transit 350HD chassis to provide a range of up to 200 miles (depending on configuration) on a single charge. Each Lightning electric van comes standard with both Level 2 AC charging and DC fast charging capabilities.
Lightning eMotors says it has delivered more than 300 ZEV3 vans to date, with a combined total of over 3.3 million cumulative real-world miles. With federal and state subsidies now available for the purchase of his new ZEV3, sales numbers are expected to increase through 2023.
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