Lightning eMotors Announces Buy America Certification for Lightning ZEV3™ Passenger Van

Lightning eMotors (NYSE: ZEV), a leading provider of zero-emission, medium-duty commercial vehicles and electric vehicle technology for fleets, announced today that its Class 3 Lightning ZEV3™ all-electric passenger van is Buy America certified. This certification, along with Lightning’s recently announced Altoona Testing certification, makes the Lightning ZEV3 fully eligible for funding through the $4 billion Federal Transit Administration Low- and No-Emissions grant program, and positions Lightning’s products for other incentives such as the Federal Aviation Administration’s zero emission airport shuttle program (Buy American).

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Lightning’s ZEV3 electric passenger van exceeds the Federal Transit Administration’s requirements for certification as US-built (photo: Lightning eMotors)

The availability of these funds will allow fleets to transition to electric vehicles more quickly, helping organizations and companies to lower their carbon footprint. To access this funding, which includes $1 billion in 2023, zero- or low-emission transit vehicles must be both Buy America certified and pass Altoona Testing to be eligible for purchase or lease using these FTA funds.

“We believe it is important that our high-quality electric vehicles support American jobs. We purposely look for US-based component and subcomponent manufacturers and suppliers and are thrilled to be Buy American Act certified in formal recognition of our largely American supply chain,” said Lightning eMotors’ VP of Procurement, Chelsea Ramm. “Additionally, our larger, Class 4 Lightning ZEV4™ passenger models have also passed our internal Buy America audit and we look forward to earning certification through independent verification on this model as well,” added Ms. Ramm.

Both the Lightning ZEV3 two- and three-battery passenger vans achieved Buy America Certification, which requires the cost of the components and subcomponents produced in the U.S. to be more than 70% of the total cost to manufacture the vehicle. Internal and independent verification showed that over 80% of the manufacturing cost of ZEV3 models in both battery configurations came from American materials.

“Achieving Buy America and Altoona testing certification makes the ZEV3 fully eligible for currently available FTA grants and many state-level EV fleet grants, helping existing customers further expand their EV operations and new customers begin their EV transition,” said Lightning eMotors’ VP of Marketing Nick Bettis. “Lightning stands out as a commercial EV manufacturer having earned both these certifications and is now uniquely positioned to help transit fleet operators take advantage of FTA funding now and over the next four years.”

Currently in use within fleets across North America for micro-transit and shuttle services, the Lightning ZEV3 passenger van is equipped with a state-of-the-art, all-electric drivetrain that delivers leading efficiency for its weight class, while providing a quiet, smooth and familiar driving experience. The van is powered by thermally managed batteries, offering the best range, efficiency and lifetime of any batteries in the market. Lightning’s ZEV3 passenger van boasts an up to 200 miles of range and comes standard with both Level 2 AC charging and DC Fast Charge capabilities. The first Lightning ZEV3 was deployed in 2018. To date, over 300 Lightning ZEV3 vans have been fielded accumulating over 1.8 million real world miles.

“Buy America certification is yet another tool Lightning offers its customers to make the transition to electric vehicles both seamless and beneficial to their business,” said Bettis. “Lightning offers a complete package, from purchasing to fleet management, and we are proud to support our customers throughout the entire EV ecosystem.”

About Lightning eMotors

Lightning eMotors (NYSE: ZEV) has been providing specialized and sustainable fleet solutions since 2009, deploying complete zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) solutions for commercial fleets since 2018. In that time, we have deployed a variety of vehicle classes and applications including but not limited to Class 3 cargo and passenger vans, ambulances, Class 4 and 5 cargo vans and shuttle buses, Class 4 Type A school buses, Class 6 work trucks, Class 7 city buses, and motor coaches. The Lightning eMotors team designs, engineers, customizes, and manufactures zero-emission vehicles to support the wide array of fleet customer needs with a full suite of control software, telematics, analytics, and charging solutions to simplify the buying and ownership experience and maximize uptime and energy efficiency. To learn more, visit our website at https://lightningemotors.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Except for historical information herein, matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the commercial and technology progress and future financial performance of Lightning eMotors, Inc. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “expand,” “enable,” “might,” “potential,” “should,” “would” among others. Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties inherent in the company’s business that could cause actual results or outcomes to vary, including, but not limited to, risks related to Lightning eMotors’ operations and business and financial performance; the ability of Lightning eMotors to execute on its business strategy and grow demand for its products and revenue; potential increases in costs or shortage of raw materials; market acceptance of new product offerings; and other risks more fully described in Lightning eMotors’ filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. Lightning eMotors undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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