Forest River expanded its electric chassis partnership with Lightning eMotors to offer a factory-certified, all-electric repower program for shuttle buses and passenger vans.
Lightning eMotors worked with Winnebago on its all-electric Type B motorhome chassis. The supplier also builds electric chassis for Rev Group’s all-electric ambulance.
Although repowering gas and diesel-powered commercial vehicles has been common practice for years, because the chassis and body often outlast the powertrains, Lightning eMotors stated repowering vehicles with electric powertrains remains a largely untapped opportunity for many fleet operators.
More than 50,000 Forest River shuttle buses and passenger vans in North America are eligible for the program.
“There have been attempts by smaller and early-stage EV technology companies to repower gasoline and diesel buses to electric, but fleets have been hesitant to invest in these third-party, unauthorized and unproven solutions,” Lightning eMotors CEO Tim Reeser said. “With the Forest River and Lightning eMotors’ factory-certified repower program, fleets can be assured they will get a proven and reliable solution backed by two established companies that will stand behind the offering and support the vehicles through their second life.”
The Forest River factory-certified powertrains and installation will be backed by a five-year, 100,000-mile warranty. Lightning Energy will provide Forest River dealers and customers with customized charging and microgrid energy solutions.
“We expect that our new repower program with Lightning will be welcomed by our dealers,” Forest River Bus President David Wright said, “because it is being introduced as the commercial bus industry continues to grapple with a production shortage caused by supply chain issues in the broader automotive market.”
