Lion Electric bankruptcy raises concerns over state's EV incentives (Illinois)

The Center Square ^ | May 8, 2025 | Catrina Barker

[ProtectOurFreedom]

The bankruptcy of Lion Electric, which opened its Joliet plant just two years ago, is raising concerns among grassroots groups about the stability of Illinois' taxpayer-funded EV incentives.

Once a cornerstone of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s green agenda, Lion Electric’s Joliet plant will auction its equipment on May 15 after declaring bankruptcy, despite a $50 million state incentive.

"Companies like Lion have recognized the many resources Illinois provides, including our uniquely talented workforce, and together we have set the state on a path to thousands more jobs and increased EV capacity," Pritzker said in a 2023 news release about the plant’s opening.

"We’re very interested in what happened in Joliet because we believe it’s connected to Gotion in Manteno, here in Kankakee County, where we actively oppose the project. We see a parallel with Governor Pritzker’s tax incentives for the electric bus manufacturer, which, just two years later, has failed because the product was not viable,” said Bruck. “The product was not viable, clearly, or they wouldn't be filing bankruptcy, and we feel the same thing about Gotion.”

The group opposes the Gotion battery plant in Manteno, which got $125 million upfront from a $536 million state package. Bruck sees it as a parallel to the Lion Electric case.

"We believe the $125 million given to Gotion upfront will be lost. Governor Pritzker's total giveaway to Gotion amounts to $536 million,” said Bruck. “Anything related to the electric battery vehicle industry concerns us because if the industry isn't viable, then neither is Gotion or the incentives given to them.”

According to Bruck, much of the upfront state money has already been spent, largely on farmland acquisition, some of which he claims benefited politically connected families in Manteno.

“Gotion has bought farmland from Manteno Mayor Tim Nugent’s family in the Manteno area way over market value with some of the $125 million Pritzker gave them upfront,” said Bruck. “He really enriched his family.”

Kankakee County documents show Gotion acquired acres of farmland from the Nugent family for over $21 million.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Broke Illinois flushes FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS down the Joliet Toilet in only TWO years! Political idiots all over the country are chasing the ephemeral "green miracle" and all they do is piss away precious taxpayer dollars and get NOTHING in return.

---

Here's a related story about how this crap started in Illinois...

Pritzker signs tax incentive bill for electric vehicle manufacturers into law
by Shabnam Danesh
November 16, 2021

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WMBD News 4) — Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday signed legislation into law that he said will turn the state into an electric vehicle manufacturing powerhouse.

“Illinois is open for business and on track to be the best place in the nation to manufacture and drive an electric vehicle,” said Pritzker.

The bipartisan Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, or the REV Act, offers incentives like tax credits and exemptions for electric vehicle manufacturers to move or expand in Illinois. It also incentivizes employers to build facilities in underserved communities and prioritizes equity through vendor diversity reporting, diverse hiring plans, and workforce diversity reporting.

“With this new focus on electric vehicles, our state can also become leader in clean energy transportation revolution. Electric school buses, electric municipal buses, electric delivery trucks, electric 18-wheelers, and so much more,” he said.

Pritzker said the REV Act builds on the previously passed Climate and Equitable Jobs Act to transform Illinois into an electric vehicle hub.

“With this bill, we intend to attract more electric vehicle manufacturers, charging station manufacturers, and automotive parts manufacturers more than ever before. It will help Illinois become one of the leading electric vehicle hubs in the entire nation,” he said.

Lion Electric announces an electric school bus manufacturing facility near Joliet, Illinois in 2023

---

Illinois is dying and Pritzker flushes taxpayer money away at a furious rate chasing the EV Rainbow. They attracted Lion Electric that was very happy to take the $50 million.

[foundedonpurpose]

It’s really about basic math. The whole EV thing is a grifted scam. A very expensive one.

[Bonemaker]

It was a giant fraud/scam from the beginning. Some filthy democrats got filthy rich out of it. illannoy taxpayers got the purple shaft.

[Tell It Right]

“Electric bus” makes about as much sense as “caffeine free Mt Dew”.

[Bonemaker]

“... Electric school buses, electric municipal buses, electric delivery trucks, electric 18-wheelers, and so much more,”

How about an electric chair tumble guts?

[sevlex]

Echos of Solyndra.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“A very expensive one.”

Gasoline is going to be pushing $10/gallon in the next two years because Newsom & Co. are forcing all the California refineries to shut down.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

You wrote "Some filthy democrats got filthy rich out of it."

Right there at the bottom of the article...

“Gotion has bought farmland from Manteno Mayor Tim Nugent’s family in the Manteno area way over market value with some of the $125 million Pritzker gave them upfront,” said Bruck. “He really enriched his family.”

The whole state of Illinois is corrupt from top to bottom. Recently in the news: "Tiffany Henyard has been dubbed 'America’s Worst Mayor' for the mountain of corruption allegations that have grown over the course of her reign as supervisor of Thornton Township and mayor of Dolton."

[Bernard]

Illinois is desperate to have any business in the state. Some new data centers in DeKalb were delayed because one of the first buildings started sinking during the construction process. And of course, the employer also announced layoffs in other parts of the country so how likely is it that all of the planned development will happen?

And what about the area right by the new developments? Empty stores and other commercial buildings, farmland still being worked with "For Sale" signs near the road.

One thing Priztker has not announced is incentives for solar panel farms and windmills. That seems to be the only development that is happening in Illinois. Can't wait for the 33 counties downstate to make serious noise about going into Indiana.

Terrible thing to happen to The Land Of Lincoln.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“Echos of Solyndra.”

Exactly. And the exact same story is repeated hundreds or thousands of times across the nation.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“...one of the first buildings started sinking during the construction”

Wow, how hard is it to do basic soils engineering analysis before building on the site?

[dfwgator]

Even the Pope left Illinois.

[BobL]

“Broke Illinois flushes FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS down the Joliet Toilet in only TWO years!”

Perhaps we should PUT AN END to governments investing in Penny Stocks.

[Bernard]

Oh, it gets better. The local Park District forgot to add the Meta Data Center to the tax rolls and missed out on a few years' worth of revenue.

https://www.northernpublicradio.org/wnij-news/2024-12-02/dekalb-park-district-missed-out-on-thousands-of-tax-dollars-from-meta-data-center

[catnipman]

Lion Electric is [was] a fricking CANADIAN electric school bus company:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_Electric_Company

[T.B. Yoits]

The way to stop this is to never let the government have the money (or ability to write debt) to begin with. That and go after the grifters who set up the fictitious company.

[BatGuano]

Most of that $50,000,000 was flushed into the friend’s and supporter’s pockets of J B Prickster, Trickster, you choose. Corruption is practiced by people who don’t need the money. They pay their friends off with ill gotten funds. FRAUD!!

Gavin Newsum is exhibit one. The high speed train money has enriched all of his family and friends.
Newsum has bankrupted California and he wants to run for POTUS?

It is time to end this robbing of the taxpayer!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

” forgot to add the Meta Data Center to the tax rolls”

My God. Not only corrupt, but grossly incompetent, too.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

End fiat money. End withholding. Bring back the gold standard. Hard metal backed money.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

“The high speed train money has enriched all of his family and friends.”

Yep. $33 billion estimate for Phase 1 (SF-LA) when sold to voters in 2008 with scheduled completion in 2020. With extensions to Sacramento and San Diego, $45 billion.

Current $106–$128 billion estimate for Phase 1 which is pure BS. I’d wager all-in north of $200 billion IF it ever gets done.

And what’s been done so far? Some concrete pedestals in the Central Valley.