Lion Electric opened a factory to manufacture electric vehicles, including school buses, in Channahon, Illinois, Friday
By Christian Piekos
Friday, July 21, 2023 21:48
CHANNAHON, Ill. (WLS) — Lion Electric’s new factory that makes all-electric vehicles such as trucks and school buses opened Friday in the southwest suburb of Channahon.
The electric vehicle manufacturing plant will produce around 1,400 and produce up to 20,000 vehicles per year. This is major news for Illinois and the greater Chicago area.
“Lion Electric and the state of Illinois lead the way in terms of commercial electric vehicles and that’s clear to me, more than ever before,” said Lion Electric CEO Marc Bedard.
The establishment of Lion Electric’s new plant in Channahon is the first dedicated vehicle assembly plant in the Chicago metro area since 1965.
“I’m just beaming with pride that this important work is being done here at Joliet,” said Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville.
The facility is 900,000 square feet and is the largest US plant dedicated to the assembly of all-electric heavy and medium-duty vehicles, including school buses.
Governor JB Pritzker, Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth and other local leaders attended Friday’s opening.
“This new facility provides a tremendous boost to Illinois’ clean energy economy as well as our environmental leadership,” said Pritzker.
The new factory will also create new apprentices once it is open and running for students.
“Illinois is well on its way to becoming the nation’s leader in green manufacturing. Now, we’re going to take it to the next level and also become a global leader,” said Duckworth.
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