Lightning eMotors expands Proterra battery supply agreement

Burlingame, Calif.-based Proterra Inc. has announced an expansion of its partnership with Lightning eMotors to power the latter’s Class 4 and 5 electric commercial vehicles with Proterra’s battery technology. Under a new multi-year supply agreement, Proterra contracted to supply battery systems totaling more than 900 megawatt hours in battery storage capacity to Lightning eMotors to power up to 10,000 electric commercial vehicles between 2022 and 2025.

This includes supplying Lightning eMotors with Proterra H Series battery systems for its strategic partnership with Forest River to co-produce and deploy Class 4 and Class 5 zero-emission, battery-electric shuttle buses.

The Lightning Electric E-450 (pictured) and F-550 commercial electric vehicles are available in a shuttle bus configuration.

The expansion builds on Proterra’s previously announced collaboration with Lightning eMotors to power the Class 3 Lightning Electric Transit commercial van using Proterra battery technology. Proterra will now also supply its battery technology to Lightning eMotors for the Lightning Electric E-450 and Lightning Electric F-550 electric commercial vehicles.

“We are delighted to build on our relationship with Lightning eMotors and to extend our battery technology into a greater number of electric commercial vehicles, including delivery trucks, work trucks, shuttle buses, and more,” said Chris Bailey, president of Proterra Powered & Energy. “Together with Lightning eMotors, we’re demonstrating how American technology and manufacturing can lead the way towards a future driven by zero-emission, battery-electric commercial vehicles.”

The Lightning Electric transit van is a purpose-built Class 3 commercial electric vehicle that is available in several  configurations including last-mile cargo vans, passenger vans, ambulances, school buses and work vans.

The Lightning Electric E-450 and F-550 commercial electric vehicles are available in a shuttle bus configuration utilizing the various Forest River bus body options, and as a truck including middle mile/last mile delivery trucks, ambulances, and work trucks. Both platforms are planned to have 80 kWh-160 kWh of Proterra battery packs.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our relationship with Proterra to power our class 4 and 5 platforms,” said Chelsea Ramm, vice president of Global Supply Chain at Lightning eMotors. “Proterra battery packs are rightfully perceived by the market as a quality product which gives us both peace of mind for our customers and helps us during the sales process.”