Autobus Séguin turns to electrification with order of 60 Lion Electric buses
by CM Staff
Order for 60 LionC buses is the largest order for 100% electric school buses yet from a North American operator.
SAINT-JÉRÔME — Autobus Groupe Séguin (Autobus Séguin), a transportation operator headquartered in Laval, Quebec, and Lion Electric (Lion), a manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty urban vehicles, announced on Jan. 19 the signing of an order for the acquisition of 60 zero-emission LionC electric school buses over a five-year period. Autobus Séguin will integrate the all-electric buses into the company’s current fleet of vehicles, one of the largest in Quebec. This milestone order is the single largest to date in the electric school bus industry in North America. The first 10 buses will be delivered throughout the 2021 calendar year, and will be used from the start of the 2021-2022 school year, through the seven service centers operated by Autobus Séguin. Subject to continued satisfaction of certain conditions, the remaining 50 buses will be delivered through 2026.
“We are happy to continue the pioneering tradition established at Autobus Séguin by participating in this current wind of change, and by making this important shift towards the electrification of school transportation. Lion Electric, which will assist us in the transition and integration of these new buses, is an ideal partner for the success of this project. Ultimately, our ambition is to electrify our entire fleet of more than 310 school buses by 2030,” said Stéphane Boisvert, President at Autobus Groupe Séguin.
“Autobus Séguin is showing its clear leadership in migrating to electrification, and this initiative serves as proof that it is possible for fleet operators to electrify a large number of vehicles. We are happy to support the Autobus Séguin team, thus optimizing the success of the transition to emission-free school transportation, for the benefit of children’s health and safety,” said Marc Bedard, CEO and Founder of Lion Electric.
A school bus emits 23 tons of greenhouse gases (GHG) per year on average. With this initiative, 1,380 tons of GHG per year will be eliminated by Autobus Séguin.
The support program for the deployment of electric school buses in Quebec, which is part of the Government of Quebec’s Transportation Electrification Action Plan, made a significant contribution to the fulfillment of this order.
