Smart Energy Decisions published this article by Caitlin Marquis highlighting the many benefits fleet operators see first-hand from electric trucks and buses, sharing examples and lessons learned from UPS, DHL, Pepsi, municipal and school transit systems and more, plus six pro tips from fleet operators. See excerpts below and read the entire SED piece here.
While electric vehicle aficionados swoon over the latest addition to Tesla’s passenger vehicle line, companies, cities, and school districts are quietly taking advantage of new model offerings in the medium- and heavy-duty segment. And they’re doing so for very practical reasons: cost savings, performance advantages, and sustainability benefits. Let’s take a look at the most common uses of these EVs gone big, and explore why fleet owners are making the switch to electric — and then circle back to consider the lessons learned by these early adopters.
Municipal Transit Fleets. Cities large and small are making the switch to all-electric transit bus fleets to save money, reduce local air and noise pollution, and meet sustainability goals. Some cities that have made initial investments in electric buses are doubling down. After its first two EV buses resulted in $24,000 in annual fuel savings and $30,000 in annual maintenance savings, the Chicago Transit Authority put in an order for an additional 20..Corporate delivery fleets. From mail to furniture to beer, local deliveries are being made by fleets that include a growing number of electric vehicles. Since re-introducing EVs into its fleet in 2001 (after a break since 1930), UPS has added more than 120 EVs to its U.S. operations...School buses. School districts across the country currently rely on fleets that are 95% diesel-fueled, but all-electric models are being added to fleets as older vehicles retire...Long-haul trucking. A growing list of companies have paid deposits on electric and hydrogen-electric semis to meet their short- and long-haul trucking needs. Taking Tesla’s all-electric semi as one example, it promises multiple attractive benefits: 20% estimated savings per mile, a 500-mile range...Read the entire SED piece here that includes six tips from fleet operators.