Lion Electric is expanding into the U.S. with a manufacturing facility in Joliet, Ill.

The Canadian electric truck maker says it will be the largest all-electric medium- and heavy-duty vehicle plant in the U.S., with annual capacity to produce 20,000 zero-emissions vehicles.

The government of Illinois is contributing at least US$70 million over three years to the project.

Lion says the facility will be 900,000 sq.-ft. and will enter production in the second half of this year, adding at least 745 clean energy jobs.

“Lion is the leader in electric school buses and has always been dedicated to the U.S. market, and our commitment to be close to our customers is one of the core values we have as a company. This significant expansion into the U.S. market will not only allow us to drastically increase our overall manufacturing capacity of electric trucks and buses but to also better serve our customers, while adding critical clean manufacturing jobs that will form the backbone of the green economy,” said Marc Bedard, CEO and founder of Lion.

Lion Electric has so far delivered more than 390 all-electric heavy-duty vehicles in North America, which have collectively run more than 7 million miles.