To advance its own and California’s goals to reach net-zero emissions by 2045, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGE) has electrified more than 20% of its over-the-road fleet and is on track to reach 100% electrification of its passenger cars, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles by 2030, the company recently announced.
In a press release, SDGE stated this puts the company “well on its way to achieve its goal of operating a fully zero-emissions fleet by 2035, ahead of state mandates.”
The latest additions to SDGE’s fleet include eight fully electric, Ford F-150 Lightning trucks and a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell car. SDGE’s fleet also consists of plug-in and non-plug-in hybrids and vehicles with idle mitigation technologies.
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“Our service trucks are out in our community daily, doing everything from routine appliance checks to equipment repairs, to keep energy flowing safely and reliably to our customers,” Jennifer Jett, SDGE’s VP of operations support, said. “Our goal is for our fleet vehicles to leave no trace of pollution behind."
SDGE is decarbonizing its fleet because transportation accounts for about 40% of California’s greenhouse gas emissions, making it the state’s single largest source of pollution. Additionally, transportation-related emissions heavily impact low-income communities located near busy roadways and industrial facilities.
In response, SDGE has developed a new analytical tool called the Community Impact Platform to prioritize vehicle replacements in neighborhoods hit hardest by air pollution and climate change. The technology overlays more than 80 million data points from its fleet’s daily trips with socioeconomic metrics to create a heat map of emissions in the region. Using advanced analytics, the platform can present various scenarios for replacing vehicles to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
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For instance, half of the company’s eight recently acquired Ford Lightning trucks have been deployed to the metro district, which covers homes and businesses adjacent to regional transportation hubs like the airport, port, and downtown. In addition to transitioning the SDGE fleet to electric, the company also tracks operating data to reduce idling and improve vehicle safety.
SDGE is also working to transform transportation beyond its own fleet. To date, it has installed more than 3,400 charging ports and is building thousands more to support medium- and heavy-duty vehicles and equipment. Under its Power Your Drive for Fleets program, SDGE said it enables fleet owners and operators to switch to electric by connecting them with resources, charging rates and financial incentives to design and install the charging infrastructure needed to reduce costs, eliminate emissions, and simplify vehicle maintenance.
