Parc Safari along with The Lion Electric Company (“Lion” or the “Company”), a manufacturer of all-electric medium and heavy-duty vehicles, today officially presented seven 100% electric trucks that will bring families visiting the park an unforgettable Safari Adventure Tour experience in the 2022 season.
The zero-emission vehicles were designed and delivered in 2021 specifically to meet Parc Safari’s needs. The 100% electric bush trucks, mounted on a Lion8 chassis, will allow visitors to tour the park without being bothered by noise or emissions.
“Since 2010, I’ve been dreaming of bringing the Safari Adventure Tour to life in all-electric bush trucks and I’m thrilled that Lion Electric has accepted this challenge, which allows us to bring a better – and greener – experience to visitors than ever before. This is clearly an unprecedented experience for the thousands of people who visit the park each summer. Our goal is that all Safari Adventure tours will be conducted in 100% electric Lion bush vehicles within the next few years,” explained Jean-Pierre Ranger, President of Parc Safari.
“We’re thrilled to have been able to make this dream a reality for Mr. Ranger and his team and thank them for their vision. Visitors will get an unforgettable experience because, not only are these vehicles 100% zero-emission, but they are also absolutely silent,” declared Marc Bédard, CEO – Founder of Lion Electric. “What we’re presenting today is a testament to the versatility of the 100% electric Lion vehicles that our team has been developing for more than a decade here in Quebec, and once again, showing just how adaptable our electric trucks are in a wide range of applications.”
“With this truck, which will delight both young and old visitors, Lion Electric continues to innovate as a leader in the design and manufacturing of electric commercial vehicles. We will now be able to feed elk and giraffes without emitting greenhouse gas emissions. It is the animals, but also the planet, that are going to thank us,” pointed out Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development.
“The electrification of transportation is undoubtedly one of the best ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec. The partnership between Lion and Parc Safari is a great example of how any type of vehicle can be electrified for the benefit of the environment,” concluded Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change, Minister responsible for the Fight against Racism and Minister responsible for the Laval region.
“I am proud to see Parc Safari acting as a leader in the electrification of its vehicles. Many visitors will now have the privilege of taking advantage of this new, all-Quebec made mode of transportation to explore the park, which, let’s remember, is Montérégie’s greatest tourist attraction,” concluded Claire IsaBelle, MNA for Huntingdon.
About Parc Safari
Since 1972, Parc Safari has welcomed 15 million visitors, mostly families, interested in seeing animals from America, Asia and Africa like they are on safari. In 1990, Parc Safari was the innovator behind the marketing in Quebec, Ontario and the US that included accommodations, attractions and visits to farms with overnight excursions of two or more nights.
The Park helps breed endangered species (cheetahs, African elephants, giraffes) with European, American and Canadian partners. In January 2021, it reintroduced two cheetahs to Zimbabwe and a few years prior, had sent a gaur to the Singapore Zoo and white wolves to several European countries.
For 50 years, Parc Safari has been modernizing its facilities with geothermal energy, energy recovery and rainwater, solar walls and biosecure buildings. In 2010, it began looking for electric vehicles to replace the gas ones on the farm.
The Park is excited about Lion’s electric bush truck for the Safari Adventure, a 5 km long trail on 50 hectares.
Tour transformation begins this year with 7 trucks with a capacity of 50 passengers. All trucks are wheelchair accessible.
Hoping post-COVID means that this year will be a normal one, Parc Safari expects to welcome their usual 300,000 visitors and maybe even a few more!
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