Lightning Systems partners with fuel-cell-engine company

LATHAM, New York and LOVELAND — Plug Power Inc. (Nasdaq: PLUG), a provider of hydrogen engines and fueling solutions enabling e-mobility, has entered into a partnership with Loveland-based Lightning Systems, a developer of zero-emission drivetrains, in order to offer the world’s first electric, fuel-cell-powered Class 6 trucks.

Class 6 trucks are up to 12.5 tons and capable of supporting middle-mile delivery logistics between warehouses and distribution centers.

The trucks produced by the partnership will be powered by an integrated hybrid-electric drivetrain consisting of Plug Power’s ProGen fuel cell engines coupled with Lightning Systems’ electric vehicle drivetrain and batteries. Lightning Systems, formerly known as Lightning Hybrids Inc., also will offer customers advanced diagnostics and analytics powered by its artificial neural network technology. This technology enables customers to track vehicle and fuel cell system data for analysis, driver training, and route optimization. Final production and testing of the new vehicles will be completed at Plug Power’s headquarters in Latham before they are made commercially available to the public in the third quarter of 2020.

Plug Power and Lightning Systems will deliver both standard and long-range Class 6 trucks through the partnership, taking advantage of the value that fuel cells offer in commercial fleets where high utilization, long range, fast fueling, and maximization of cargo volume and payload are important. The standard vehicle offering includes 20 kilograms of on-board hydrogen storage, delivering an average range in excess of 200 miles. An extended range option also is available, effectively doubling the standard average range to 400 miles.  

“Lightning’s modular powertrains were designed to support both battery-electric and fuel cell-electric vehicle configurations, so this is a natural next product for us,” Tim Reeser, CEO for Lightning Systems, said in a written statement. “Plug Power’s hydrogen fuel cell system dovetails elegantly with our existing technology.”

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