Lightning eMotors announced that it is supplying to Vanderbilt University six Lightning ZEV4™ electric shuttle buses. The shuttles are expected to be delivered and deployed in second quarter 2023 for the intercampus transportation service, VandyRide. The zero emission shuttle buses are built on the GM-based Lightning ZEV4 platform and feature 120 kWh of thermally-managed Proterra battery packs that deliver up to 130 miles of range and support both Level 2 AC and DC fast charge capability.

Vanderbilt's vehicles ride on a 159-inch wheelbase and have been upfitted with shuttle bus bodies from Forest River to carry 14 passengers each. Vanderbilt is leasing the initial pilot run of six vehicles from Forest River dealer Carpenter Bus Sales, with charging infrastructure supported by Vanderbilt partner Electrada. The vehicles will also be equipped with Lightning's leading EV fleet telematics software, Lightning Insights.

This real-time telematics and charge management suite features an API for seamless integration with Electrada's charging infrastructure. This EV deployment further establishes Vanderbilt University as a sustainability leader among U.S. colleges. The university recently “flipped the switch” on the 35-megawatt Vanderbilt I Solar Farm in Bedford County, Tennessee, which was first announced in 2020.

The location will reduce the majority of the university's greenhouse gas emissions produced indirectly from electricity purchased from Nashville Electric Service and TVA. A planned second solar farm in Moore County, Tennessee, will supply enough renewable energy to mitigate the remaining emissions.