Image courtesy of XL.
XL, a company that produces vehicle electrification solutions for commercial and municipal fleets, has announced that the City of Tacoma, Clark Public Utilities and the City of Palo Alto are the latest West Coast municipalities and utilities to electrify portions of their fleets with XL-equipped vehicles. According to XL, the fleets can expect to increase the MPG of their plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) Ford F-150 pickup trucks by up to 50% and reduce CO2 emissions by one-third when compared to their standard gasoline-powered vehicles.
Municipalities and utilities along the US West Coast have been among the most active in the nation in reducing the environmental impact of their fleet vehicles to meet state, city and organization-wide emissions reductions targets. For example, Washington’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 25% below 1990 levels by 2035. Additionally, California’s goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% to reach 1990 levels by 2030, advancing the state’s leadership in clean transportation. These three fleets are working to meet their strict emissions reduction targets by deploying plug-in hybrid and hybrid (HEV) electrification systems from XL.
All three fleets are in the process of deploying multiple XL plug-in hybrid electric Ford F-150 pickup trucks, the first and only PHEV F-150 on the road today. City of Tacoma is also adding several of XL’s hybrid electric units, including XL hybrid-equipped Ford Transits and Ford F-250 trucks.
“Our utility and city environmental plan calls for upgrading public and utility fleets with electrified vehicles and reducing fossil fuel usage, which aligns with our commitment to a green environment,” said Don Ashmore, Tacoma Public Utility fleet manager. “Since XL provides plug-in hybrids in a pickup truck format, the 33% reduction in fuel and improved brake life makes for great ROI all in one package to help meet our environmental plan goals.”
In August 2018, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) gave approval for commercial and municipal electric fleet company XL to sell hybrid electric Ford F-250 pickup trucks in the state.
XL, whose customers include companies like Coca-Cola and Verizon as well as major US cities, says that its hybrid-equipped Ford F-250 improves fuel economy by an average of 25%, while reducing CO2 emissions by 20%, providing both an economic and environmental advantage for fleets in North America.
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