ComEd had added two new, all-electric bucket trucks to its fleet as part of its continued commitment to accelerating the company's goal of transitioning its northern Illinois fleet vehicles powered by internal combustion engines to fully-electric biodiesel and clean-powered vehicles.
“Everyone benefits from the improved air quality created from the transition to EVs, regardless as to if you own or ride in an EV,” said Vito Martino, VP of Distribution System Operations at ComEd. “We’re providing a variety of tools and resources to help our customers make the transition to an EV, but we’re also proud to walk the walk by electrifying our own vehicle fleet.”
The new trucks, sourced through Altec, are powered through a single battery system that supports the vehicle and hydraulic bucket and provides approximately 135 miles of range during standard operations. The new vehicles are projected to enter service by the end of May 2024.
“ComEd is taking steps to advance energy sustainability in Illinois through the adoption of electric fleet vehicles in their own operations and with resources and education for customers pursuing EVs,” said Samantha Bingham, Coordinator of the Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation. “The actions of individuals making the switch to zero-emission and low-emission vehicles play a role in protecting our communities, but it is also crucial that large vehicle fleet owners like ComEd lead by example in making this transition.”
ComEd is on track to convert 50% of its vehicle fleet to electric by 2030, which is part of the company's Exelon-wide climate initiative - Path to Clean. ComEd has started piloting new all-electric fleet trucks and has a mix of nearly 1,000 all-electric, plug-in hybrid vehicles in its queue. In addition, ComEd is undergoing facility upgrades by adding 500 charging stations across its footprint.
ComEd expects that electrifying half of its fleet will potentially eliminate an additional 29,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which will build on the 4,000 metric tons of emissions the company's fleet already avoids annually.
