Rush Tours Lion Electric Site in Joliet, Drives Electric School Bus
Rush Tours Lion Electric Site in Joliet, Drives Electric School Bus (Joliet, IL) – Last week, U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) toured the site for the new 900,000 sq. ft. Lion Electric manufacturing facility in Joliet. Once completed in 2022, the facility will be the largest dedicated production site for zero-emission medium and heavy-duty vehicles — including school buses, trucks, and transit buses — in North America. Over the next three years, the facility is expected to bring at least 745 clean energy jobs to the region. During his tour, Rush visited the construction site for the facility and drove one of Lion’s fully electric school buses that is already licensed and in service.
“I’m excited about this facility and for the Chicagoland area to lead the nation — and indeed, the entire continent — in electric vehicle production and innovation,” said Rep. Rush. “This facility will bring good-paying clean energy jobs to our region, and the vehicles made here will reduce pollution and harmful greenhouse gases in our communities. Electrifying our transportation sector, which is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector of the American economy, is critical to meeting this climate moment with the aggressive action it demands, especially in light of the grim and dire assessments of Monday’s IPCC report. Investing in electric vehicle production and ensuring they are affordable and accessible to all Americans is a top priority for me as Chairman of the Energy Subcommittee. I can’t wait to see electric school buses and trucks produced right here in Joliet out on our streets!”
“We had a fantastic opportunity to not only host Congressman Rush at our upcoming Joliet manufacturing facility, but to also to show off the clean school transportation we are making a reality today with a LionC all-electric bus,” said Nate Baguio, Vice President of Sales USA at Lion Electric. “Congressman Rush is one of the great champions of electrification and has continued to work with Lion to ensure Illinois workers and families benefit from a much-needed transition to EVs. We look forward to bringing clean manufacturing to the region and look forward to many more visits and hands-on time with Lion’s lineup of buses and trucks in the future.”
As the Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Energy Subcommittee, Rep. Rush has long championed electric vehicles and opportunities to electrify our transportation system and bring down the costs of EVs for American consumers. Last month, Rush secured the addition of a robust title on electric vehicles via amendment to the House-passed INVEST in America Act. Rush’s amendment would authorize more than $36.6 billion over five years to help states implement electric vehicles networks and electrify our transportation system, including dedicated funding for the deployment of electric vehicles in disadvantaged communities. The amendment is similar to legislation Rush introduced in April, the NO EXHAUST Act of 2021 (H.R. 2852) and chaired an Energy Subcommittee legislative hearing on in May.
Lion Electric creates, designs, and manufactures all-electric class 5 to class 8 commercial urban trucks and all-electric buses and minibuses for the school, paratransit, and mass transit segments. Lion has delivered more than 390 all-electric heavy-duty vehicles in North America, with more than 7 million miles driven since 2016.
Rush Tours Lion Electric Site in Joliet, Drives Electric School Bus
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