Lightning Emotors delivers ZEV4 shuttle buses to STL Airport

Colorado, United States- Lightning Emotors Inc., provider of zero-emission, medium-duty commercial vehicles and electric vehicle technology for fleets, announced it sold five Lightning ZEV4 shuttle buses to St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL). The vehicles will be driven by STL partner SP Plus Parking (SP Plus), taking passengers between the two terminals of the airport. The deal also includes five Level 2 chargers and one Level 3 DC fast charger, currently set for delivery later this year.

For assistance with paying for the vehicles and chargers, STL received a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 2023 Airport Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) and Infrastructure Pilot Program grant. Only the purchase of FAA Buy American certified automobiles is eligible for these subsidies. Lightning has certified the ZEV4 product line to be both FAA Buy American and FTA Buy America compliant in order to assure that its clients might receive some of the more than $5 billion in FTA/FAA funding.

Mr. Kash Sethi, chief revenue officer for Lightning eMotors. said that, Our team has put forth a lot of effort to guarantee that our products live up to the rigorous criteria necessary to qualify for any of the many federal grants worth billions of dollars that are available to assist the growth of the EV ecosystem. This order serves as excellent proof that our cars and charging technology are perfect for assisting airports in achieving their commercial and environmental objectives. As our first order to be funded by the FAA's Buy American VALE funding program, it serves as a case study for why these grants are so important for accelerating EV deployments at airports across the country.

Lightning is fast becoming an EV manufacturer of choice for airport deployments. For example, ACE Parking’s fleet of 24 Lightning shuttle buses at San Diego International Airport have amassed over one million miles since 2020 and continues to provide emissions-free transport to hundreds of passengers each day, while delivering low cost, reliable service. In addition, Lightning recently completed a test of its Lightning Mobile charger at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, STL’s airport director and CEO, said that, St. Louis Lambert International Airport is dedicated to sustainable, clean energy practices, and we're eager for customers to start experiencing that with our new shuttles. The Lightning ZEV4 will enable us to bring EV shuttles to those who utilize the airport sooner.

The five Lightning ZEV4 cutaway vehicles will have shuttle bodies and are constructed on Lightning's second-generation, GM4500-based platform. They will each cover 100 miles in a shift, with at least one running continuously and charging as necessary using a DC fast charger provided by Lightning, while the others will be utilized daily and recharged over night using Level 2 chargers. Lightning will teach neighborhood service providers how to care for the first EVs at the airport.

“This process will allow us to move from thinking Green to being an airport that practices the Green concept,” said Hamm-Niebruegge.

“Airports provide an ideal use case for electric commercial vehicle fleets, particularly when you couple accessible FAA funding with the real-world operating benefits of EVs. This is an exciting expansion of our airport customer base and we’re confident it’s just the beginning of our work with airports across the country,” added Sethi.