Washington state energy provider Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has expanded its electrified fleet with 40 XL-equipped hybrid Ford vehicles, including Transit vans and F-250s.
With its latest order with XL, PSE now has 110 vehicles equipped with XL’s hybrid technology. The utility plans to further expand the electrified fleet later this year.
XL, a Boston-based provider of vehicle electrification solutions, says its hybrid system has been proven to improve fuel economy by an average of 25% and reduce carbon emissions by 20%.
The hybrid vans will support natural gas first responders, and the hybrid pickup trucks will serve natural gas inspectors and related routes, covering about 6,000 square miles over 10 counties and major metropolitan areas. These vehicles do not have a return-to-base policy and are typically parked at drivers’ homes because they are needed for emergency response. In turn, PSE says it is helpful they do not require a charging station or other hub for deployment.
“With roughly 43 percent of carbon emissions in Washington state coming from transportation, we are committed to accelerating the adoption of electrified vehicles,” states Colin Davidson, fleet logistics manager at PSE. “By continuing to upfit our Ford Transit vans and F-250s with XL’s hybrid technology, we will make significant progress towards achieving our goal to reduce our carbon footprint by 50 percent by 2040, without worrying about infrastructure requirements or high maintenance costs.”
“Utilities are among the leading drivers of advancing electrified vehicles in the fleet industry,” adds Tod Hynes, CEO of XL. “PSE continues to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability to Washington residents while showcasing the enormous impact that cleaner, more fuel-efficient fleet vehicles can have on a business and the community at large.”
