SDG&E Well on Its Way to Achieving a Fully Zero-emissions Fleet

The company has reached 20% fleet electrification, prioritizes placing new fully electric trucks in the most polluted areas

To advance its own and California’s goals to reach net zero emissions by 2045, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) 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. This puts SDG&E 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 SDG&E’s fleet include eight fully electric, Ford F-150 Lightning trucks and a zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell car. SDG&E’s fleet also consists of plug-in and non-plug-in hybrids and vehicles with idle mitigation technologies.

“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,” said SDG&E Vice President of Operations Support Jennifer Jett. “Our goal is for our fleet vehicles to leave no trace of pollution behind.“

SDG&E is aggressively 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, SDG&E 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 innovative 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’s most vulnerable communities. Using advanced analytics, the platform can present various scenarios for replacing vehicles to reduce emissions and improve air quality. For example, 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 upgrading its fleet, SDG&E also tracks operating data to reduce idling and improve vehicle safety, and continuously reviews new technologies.

SDG&E 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, SDG&E 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.

SDG&E is an innovative San Diego-based energy company that provides clean, safe and reliable energy to better the lives of the people it serves in San Diego and southern Orange counties

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