METRO Magazine Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Lightning eMotors' ACE Parking Reaches Big Milestone

Lightning delivered 16 Class 4 ZEV4 and 8 Class 5 ZEV5 electric shuttle buses to ACE Parking in 2020.

Lightning eMotors' ACE Parking Reaches Big Milestone

The fleet is supported by Lightning Insights, Lightning’s EV-specific telematics service.

Photo: Lightning eMotors

2 min to read


Lightning eMotors announced that Lightning customer ACE Parking’s San Diego Airport fleet of ZEV4 and ZEV5 shuttle buses has surpassed one million all-electric, zero-emission miles, according to the company's news release.

“ACE Parking’s San Diego Airport fleet is a success story not just for Lightning, but for fleet vehicle electrification, and it’s been an honor to be ACE’s chosen partner in this important deployment,” said Kash Sethi, Lightning CRO. “It’s always such a point of pride — and a testament to our shared commitment to providing clean, safe, and sustainable transportation — to see one of our fleets pass the one-million-mile mark. We’re looking forward to many more miles with ACE.”

Ad Loading...

Lightning delivered 16 Class 4 ZEV4 and 8 Class 5 ZEV5 electric shuttle buses to ACE Parking in 2020. Since deployment, the fleet has transported more than 1.5 million passengers over one million miles and mitigated over 1,050 tons of CO2 emissions from the atmosphere. The fleet is supported by Lightning Insights, Lightning’s EV-specific telematics service that monitors vehicle location, efficiency, charge status, and more in real time.

The ZEV4 and ZEV5 zero-emission shuttle buses have averaged 41.1 and 34.4 MPGe.

“Lightning has been a good partner for us, providing strong service and support throughout the deployment despite ongoing gen1-technology hurdles,” said Steve Burton, president of ACE Parking. “We’re very happy with the environmental benefits of our Lightning fleet, while our drivers and passengers enjoy the quiet, refined performance only an EV can deliver.”

Lightning is now delivering the third generation of its ZEV4 shuttle bus with additional benefits, such as the batteries fully contained between the frame rails, redundant parking brake, push-button shifting, and more.

The ACE Parking vehicles participated in the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB) Hybrid and Zero Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP).

More Zero Emissions

Rows of MTA's Long Island Railroad (LIRR) commuter rail cars.

New York Awards $4.5M for Zero-Emission Microtransit and Bike Access Projects

NYSERDA funding will support electric microtransit and secure bike storage to improve first- and last-mile connections across downstate New York.

Read More →
Cover photo for METROspectives with The Bus Coalition
Busby Alex RomanMarch 13, 2026

Inside The Bus Coalition’s Push for Stronger Federal Transit Investment

In this conversation, TBC’s Executive Director Ed Redfern, President Corey Aldridge, and Washington Representative Joel Rubin outline the coalition’s key policy priorities, the challenges facing transit agencies, and how industry stakeholders can work together to strengthen the voice of bus transit at the federal level.

Read More →
A SunLine clean air bus at a stop.
Zero Emissionsby Alex RomanMarch 10, 2026

U.S. Zero-Emission Bus Adoption Surpasses 8,000 Vehicles

CALSTART’s latest Zeroing in on ZEBs report shows continued nationwide growth despite supply-chain challenges. The group’s Deputy Director of Transit, Mike Hynes, talked to METRO about how agencies are adapting procurement strategies, fleet plans, and more.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
An LA Metro clean air articulated bus
Zero EmissionsMarch 9, 2026

California’s Push Against Federal Headwinds to Reach 100% Zero-Emission Transit Goals

Even amid shifts in federal funding, California continues to advance its zero-emission agenda, enforcing and funding its regulatory framework despite federal obstacles.

Read More →
A Mountain Line bus
Zero Emissionsby Alex RomanMarch 4, 2026

BetterFleet’s Dan Hilson on the Mountain Line Contract and Intelligent Charge Management

Mountain Line selected BetterFleet’s charge-management and fleet-operations platform to support its nearly all-electric bus fleet and future electrification plans.

Read More →
A white Chesco Connect paratransit bus parked outside.
Zero Emissionsby Elora HaynesFebruary 9, 2026

Why Chester County Chose Propane To Power Its Demand-Response Transit Fleet

See how the county’s Chesco Connect system is replacing its buses with propane autogas to cut costs, reduce emissions, and support high-demand paratransit operations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
King County Metro electric buses made by GILLIG.
Busby StaffJanuary 30, 2026

Seattle's King County Metro Introduces New Battery-Electric Buses

Rolling out in electric yellow and seafoam blue, the first battery-electric buses purchased from GILLIG will begin serving riders in south King County on February 2.

Read More →
A black, white, and light purple graphic with an image of a BAE Systems hybrid electric bus and text reading "Re-Examining Hybrid Buses in Transit."
Zero Emissionsby Elora HaynesJanuary 19, 2026

Why Some Transit Agencies Are Re-Examining Hybrid Buses

As zero-emission goals advance, hybrid buses remain part of fleet strategies, offering reliability and operational flexibility.

Read More →
Zero Emissionsby StaffJanuary 14, 2026

California's VVTA Unveils Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses, Fueling Station, and Brand Refresh

The introduction of hydrogen fuel cell buses represents a significant step forward in reducing emissions while maintaining reliable, high-quality transit service.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Technologyby Staff and News ReportsDecember 24, 2025

Biz Briefs: Electric Paratransit Buses in San Francisco and More

Biz Briefs covers the latest supplier news in the motorcoach and public transit industries.

Read More →