Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E) has announced plans to invest one-third of its annual fleet purchases in electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) over the next five years – an over $100 million investment.
PG&E operates approximately 1,400 plug-in electric and electric hybrid vehicles – one of the largest fleets of plug-ins in the nation, the utility says.
The company currently dedicates about 15% of its fleet budget to plug-in electric technology, and the $100 million commitment will add more than 750 plug-in electric units to PG&E’s fleet of over 14,000 vehicles.
Based in San Francisco, the natural gas and electric utility, a subsidiary of PG&E Corp., delivers energy to nearly 16 million people in northern and central California.
“The electrification of our transportation system will be essential in helping California to meet its long-term goals for greenhouse-gas reductions. Converting more of our fleets to electric vehicles is a powerful way for the utility industry to take the lead and set an example,” comments Tony Earley, chairman, CEO and president of PG&E Corp.
PG&E also uses electric power takeoff systems on its bucket trucks. This technology allows crews to operate all on-board equipment, including the aerial device and auxiliary systems, via a series of batteries – eliminating the need to idle the trucks at worksites.
Last year, PG&E acquired what it says were the utility industry’s first plug-in electric Class 5 utility work trucks, which were from Dixon-based Efficient Drivetrains Inc. PG&E says it is now working on the deployment of the utility industry’s first class of bucket trucks with plug-in electric drivetrains.
