Verizon is powering its sustainability commitments by rolling out its first electric fleet in Smithfield, R.I.
The Smithfield Garage Work Center (GWC) is the first Verizon garage in the nation to transition to a nearly fully electric fleet. This $4.4 million deployment includes 40 Ford eTransit vans and five Ford Lightning trucks accompanied by 25 two-port Level 2 charging stations and two DC fast-charging stations, which will be used by Fios technicians serving Verizon customers in the northern Providence region.
“We are thrilled to be leading the charge in electrifying our fleet,” says Jerry Karnick, senior vice president of Corporate Assets, Environment, Health & Safety at Verizon. “Verizon’s green fleet will play a pivotal role in achieving our sustainability goals, aiming to achieve a 53% reduction in our operational emissions by 2030 and operational net-zero emissions by 2035.”
“This is a tremendous win for our state and a major step forward in the future of transportation,” adds Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee. “Verizon’s decision to invest in electric vehicle technology in Rhode Island is a testament to both of our commitments to clean energy. This deployment will help us reduce emissions on our roads and communities, and we are proud to be partners with Verizon in building a cleaner, brighter future.”
Verizon is planning additional EV rollouts in 2024 at GWCs across New England and the Mid-Atlantic region.
The company started its EV fleet implementation planning in 2021 by evaluating data and analytics from the Verizon Connect fleet management software platform that runs on nearly all the firm’s vehicles and assets. Data derived from Verizon Connect regarding miles driven; vehicle wear and tear; and vehicle tracking, location and utilization informed Verizon’s EV planning decisions. These included the number of EVs to be deployed in each rollout; the type, extent and location of charging infrastructure; and EV maintenance and storage.
EVs are becoming a significant component of vehicle fleets and are expected to grow to 31% of the market, or about 672 million vehicles, by 2050, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.