(Credit: Cintas)Cintas’ electric vehicle pilot program is growing and showing signs of success as part of a plan to transition commercial fleets and cut down on the company’s Scope 1 emissions.
The company operates one of the largest corporate fleets in North America with nearly 14,000 commercial vehicles. The pilot program, which launched earlier this year, is part of a goal to transition to electric vehicles and it currently includes about 20 vehicles from multiple manufacturers.
Cintas is using the program to evaluate the performance, durability, and reliability of various types of electric vehicles from across a variety of business operations as well as multiple weather scenarios and road conditions. Testing the vehicles is helping the company study the benefits and challenges of electric vehicles in its route-based business.
The first electric vehicle in the program was deployed in the Los Angeles area, and 17 other vehicles from five manufacturers have been used in Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and Washington, in addition to several other areas in California. Cintas says it has received additional grant funding for the program and it plans to expand the fleet by as many as 50 vehicles in 2023.
“When we meet with employee-partners in the field, the EV pilot program is always near the top of their interests,” says Christy Nageleisen, Cintas vice president of environment, social, and governance and chief compliance officer. “There’s a lot of excitement and anticipation throughout the organization about our EV program, and we’re eager to see how these pilot vehicles perform while out in service and running our routes.”
Transitioning commercial fleets to electric and other low-carbon means is a growing focus across industries. According to a report by McKinsey & Company, 75% of the top 200 commercial fleet operators in the United States have committed to making clean transitions, and almost 50% of fleet operators have purchased an electric vehicle, or plan to do so, in 2022.
The US pledged in November 2022 to only sell zero-emissions medium- and heavy-duty trucks by 2040, and the Department of Energy recently awarded a $2.5 billion grant to General Motors and LG Energy Solution to develop batteries for electric vehicles. This year TerraWatt raised $1 billion to boost commercial EV infrastructure as it builds a network of charging centers and operations for fleets.
Cintas also says it is studying new technologies and developments in other areas to help reduce emissions in commercial fleets such as alternative fuels. The company has a goal to achieve net zero by 2050 and sees transitioning commercial fleets as a key to success in the area.
The company’s fleet department works closely with equipment manufacturers as it looks to find the best electric vehicles and technologies to improve its operational emissions. Cintas helps more than 1 million businesses with uniforms, equipment, and supplies.
