The collaboration explores autonomous functionality options for Lightning's medium-duty commercial vehicle product line, enabling semi-autonomous charging and enhancing operational safety and efficiency.

 ANNAPOLIS JUNCTION, Md., May 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightning eMotors, Inc., a leading provider of zero-emission medium-duty commercial electric vehicles and electric vehicle (EV) technology for fleets, and STEER Tech, the leading OEM and aftermarket autonomous vehicle (AV) software company, today announced a collaboration to offer autonomous functionality to Lightning's customers to enhance safety and efficiency.

The collaboration will facilitate the integration of STEER's autonomous vehicle technology into Lightning's medium-duty commercial electric vehicle product line. STEER's patented autonomous vehicle technology can add safety functionality currently unavailable in most medium-duty commercial EVs, such as collision avoidance and autonomous vehicle movement, and could be used in a variety of use cases including campus employee and student transportation and distribution center cargo movement.

The system can also be used to automate parking in crowded lots such as school bus yards and transit marshaling yards. Further, the AV technology can be combined with charging stations to automate the charging process, requiring minimal human involvement.   

"Lightning eMotors is excited about STEER's autonomous vehicle solution, first and foremost for the additional safety functionality it will allow us to offer to our customers," said Tim Reeser, CEO and Co-founder of Lightning eMotors. "With the demand for autonomous driving growing, the ability to offer a school bus fleet the technology to reduce pedestrian accidents is a win for everybody."

STEER Tech's technology is a full-service platform that provides a wide array of turn-key, autonomous driving solutions in both advanced driver assistance and driverless packages. It uses a robust sensor suite coupled with high-precision GPS and stereoscopic camera vision to safely navigate vehicles within geofenced areas. STEER-enabled vehicles can be either remotely controlled from a singular central command or launched on a singular basis - providing maximum flexibility while increasing operational efficiency and automating last-mile functions such as semi-automatic charging, parking, and loading. The AV platform includes a dashboard for vehicle analytics which includes comprehensive vehicle health monitoring and automatic triggers. For example, fleet operators can set customized battery thresholds that, when hit, activate the specific vehicle to autonomously drive to the charger to be recharged. Automated functions such as this create an always-ready fleet.     

"Autonomous vehicle technology is a game changer for safety and sustainability, with depots and yards being the ultimate endpoint to demonstrate maximum value," said Anuja Sonalker, STEER Tech CEO. "Lightning eMotors offers best-in-class electric vehicle solutions to commercial customers and we are excited to work with Lightning eMotors to launch the next suite of autonomous electric vehicles together."

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About STEER Tech
STEER Tech is the leading automated vehicle company engineering innovative solutions to mobility issues faced by enterprises and consumers. STEER develops autonomous technology for passenger and commercial vehicles that can be applied to parking, low-speed driving, first and last-mile delivery, vehicle maintenance, fleet operations, logistics, and other custom use cases. With its growing network of autonomous transfer hubs for fleet and delivery companies and mapped points of interest for consumers, STEER continues to create an ecosystem of users and infrastructures that benefit from space and time efficiency, reduced costs, enhanced user experiences, and new revenue. Visit STEER's website to see the technology in action and explore the benefits of vehicle automation.

About Lightning eMotors
Lightning eMotors (NYSE: ZEV) has been providing specialized and sustainable fleet solutions since 2009, deploying complete zero-emission-vehicle solutions for commercial fleets since 2018 – including cargo and passenger vans, ambulances, shuttle buses, Type A school buses, work trucks, city buses, and motor coaches. The Lightning eMotors team designs, engineers, customizes and manufactures zero-emission vehicles to support the wide array of fleet customer needs with a full suite of control software, telematics, analytics, and charging solutions to simplify the buying and ownership experience and maximize uptime and energy efficiency. To learn more, visit our website at https://lightningemotors.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information herein, matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements about the commercial and technology progress and future financial performance of Lightning eMotors, Inc. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "expand," "enable," "might," "potential," "should," "would" among others. Forward-looking statements in this press release are subject to certain risks and uncertainties inherent in Lightning eMotor's business that could cause actual results or outcomes to vary, including, but not limited to, risks related to Lightning eMotors' operations and business and financial performance; the ability of Lightning eMotors to execute on its business strategy and grow demand for its products and revenue; potential increases in costs or shortage of raw materials; market acceptance of new product offerings; and other risks more fully described in Lightning eMotors' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. Lightning eMotors undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.