Lion Electric marked a significant milestone in the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing industry with the official inauguration of its 900,000 square-foot all-electric plant in Joliet, Illinois. This state-of-the-art facility is the largest of its kind in the United States, dedicated to medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicle production.

The grand opening event witnessed dignitaries, government officials, media, and industry partners gathering to celebrate this historic achievement. Among the esteemed guests was U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory’s Director, Paul Kearns, whose remarks highlighted the laboratory’s pivotal role in Lion Electric’s journey towards cutting-edge EV technology.

“This is a milestone for our partnership with Lion, which exemplifies our efforts to commercialize cutting-edge technologies,” said Kearns. Kearns announced a new pilot program that will demonstrate the vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capability of Lion’s Medium Duty Bus using Argonne’s Smart-grid plugin EV communication controller.

“Lion Electric is a good example of the future of manufacturing,” stated U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, highlighting the significance of Lion Electric choosing Illinois as its home for this facility. The company’s vision aligns with the state’s goals for a more sustainable future, and the plant is expected to have a manufacturing capacity of 2,500 all-electric school buses by the end of 2023.

The collaboration between Argonne and Lion Electric signifies a commitment to driving technological innovation and advancing the future of clean energy.

Read Lion Electric’s full release here.