Natural gas utility Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) has added 21 Ford E-Transit electric vans to its fleet.
The latest additions are part of the utility's ASPIRE 2045 sustainability strategy to not only replace 50 percent of its over-the-road fleet with alternative fuel vehicles by 2025 but also operate a 100 percent zero-emissions fleet by 2035.
"By investing in technologies powered by electricity, hydrogen or renewable natural gas, we are advancing our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and accelerate decarbonization in a sector that has historically been a major contributor to GHG emissions,” said Sandra Hrna, vice president, supply chain and operations support at SoCalGas.
While 38 percent of SoCalGas' over-the-road fleet was powered by low- and zero-emissions energy sources by the end of 2023, the company’s current over-the-road fleet vehicles include 700 RNG Ford F-250 service pickup trucks and 50 Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEV).
"These trucks reduce smog-forming emissions making it easier for us to breathe and they also reduce greenhouse gas emissions thereby helping our climate,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast Air Quality Management District executive officer.
SoCalGas aims to improve sustainable transportation solutions and partners with automakers to develop innovative low- and zero-emissions options to help support California's climate goals.
SoCalGas and Ford are developing a hydrogen fuel cell F-550 prototype with the Department of Energy (DOE) and, in 2025, plan to demonstrate its performance in real world conditions to help reduce GHG and nitrogen oxide emissions in medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
Ford's light-duty electric vans have a range of up to 126 miles and are being used by employees to service industrial and commercial customers of SoCalGas.
"E-Transit is a great solution for companies to reduce carbon emissions while lowering fleet costs associated with fuel and maintenance," said Ted Haladyna, Ford Pro director of product marketing.
SoCalGas is installing EV chargers throughout its territory powered exclusively by renewable electricity under Southern California Edison's Green Rate program to support a zero-emissions fleet. The company has added EV charging stations at its Compton, Brea and Newberry Spring locations, with plans to extend the network to 1,500 chargers across 65 facility sites over the next two years.
