Lion Introduces a New Medium-Duty Electric Truck

The Lion Electric Company has introduced the Lion5, an all-electric Class 5 vehicle that runs on LionBattery packs, the company’s new 800V battery packs that were designed and produced in-house.

The manufacture of the 12,500-pound-capable Lion5 is expected to begin before the year is over.

The Lion5 is ideally positioned to service the market, from the cab design to the electrical architecture to the chassis technologies. With combinations ranging from 19,500 lbs. up to 26,000 lbs. (Class 6), this new all-electric commercial truck cab chassis includes design attributes needed in GVWR (“Gross Vehicle Weight Rating”) Class 5. The Lion5 has a 315 HP (“Horsepower”), 2,360 lb-ft of torque, and may be particularly outfitted with a GCWR (“Gross Combined Weight Rating”) of up to 30,000 lbs, depending on whether payload capacity, towing capability, or both are required.

The Lion5’s low centre of gravity, well-balanced front-to-back weight distribution, low cab forward (“LCF”) design, and placement of the LionBattery packs all contribute to its premium ride and handling performance. Selected model variants also come standard with an adaptive auto levelling 4-wheel independent suspension system. The Lion5 incorporates electronic stability control (“ESC”), traction control, hill start aid, and a limited slip differential for increased security and traction management.

The 96-inch wide cab of the Lion5 has been purposely intended to be stationary and features a cutaway configuration option that allows a smooth passthrough between the cab and any compatible body upfit. When getting out of the car, Lion designed the steps to curve into the cab allowing easy vision from the driver’s seat or the passenger’s seat, depending on which door is open. The adaptive independent suspension variations contain a configurable feature that lowers the vehicle by 3 inches when opening the door, increasing safety and simplicity of entry and exit.

The Lion5 was designed to be equipped with any appropriate body application. Bodybuilders that have the optional supplied ePTO (“electric Power Take-Off”) interface have access to 4kW of low voltage and up to 32kW of high voltage. Depending on the choices made for the build specification, upfitters can select from a variety of LionBattery pack placement combinations.

The LionBattery, an 800v proprietary battery system that was initially installed on the Lion5, consists of a battery management system (BMS), a battery thermal management system (BTMS), and battery modules and packs. In all of Lion’s commercial trucks and buses, the LionBattery has been specifically created to maximise performance, integration, and packaging. With the ability to charge to 80% in 1.5 hours, it can give a range of up to 200 miles in the Lion5.