All-electric vehicle maker Lion Électrique announced Monday that it has taken over its plant in Joliet, Illinois, which is expected to begin production in the second half of 2022.
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Lion plans to roll the first vehicles off the production line during the second half of the year.
The Quebec company aims to make its Joliet plant the largest zero-emission medium and heavy vehicle production site in the United States, with an annual production capacity of 20,000 units.
The Lion plant expects to create some 1,400 direct jobs in the region within four years.
“Lion is on schedule to begin production of zero-emission vehicles in the United States in 2022 and meet the American market’s demand for fully electric school buses, minibuses and Class 5 to 8 trucks,” congratulated Marc Bédard, president and founder of Lion Électrique.
Lion Électrique announced the appointment of two new senior executives. They are Richard Coulombe, appointed Senior Vice-President, Strategic Initiatives, and Eric Pansegrau, who serves as General Manager of the new Joliet plant.
“I am also happy to welcome Richard and Eric to our team and we look forward to continuing the construction and installation of the equipment at our Joliet plant and above all to getting ready to release our first 100% vehicles there. of the production line, ”said Mr. Bédard.