Driving green is just one way that we stand by our commitment of reducing our carbon footprint and cleaning the air we breathe. With that goal in mind, this fall, SDG&E received 32 brand new plug-in electric hybrid utility trucks that will eliminate more than 907,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions from San Diego, that’s equivalent to removing nearly 100 cars from the road for a full year.
The new trucks’ on-board battery system will allow crews to eliminate the need for engine idling while on a job, reducing emissions and noise in surrounding neighborhoods.
Why does reduced engine idle time matter?
When crews report to the scene of an outage, the traditional truck provides power to the bucket lift and tools needed to repair and restore power to customers. This requires the truck to stay “on” or “idle.” This creates additional CO2 emissions while also wasting diesel fuel to finish a job that can sometimes take hours.
The new SDG&E hybrid trucks eliminate unneeded idle time which minimizes tailpipe emissions and idle-related engine maintenance. The trucks feature an automatic idle mitigation system so as soon as the truck is placed in park or neutral, the engine shuts down entirely.
With reduced vehicle operating costs, extended vehicle life and more exportable power capabilities, these trucks are providing crews and linemen with the same look and feel but now with an operating system that is environmentally friendly and require less money to maintain.
SDG&E’s commitment to the environment doesn’t stop with our energy company trucks – we have already converted 100% of our sedan fleet to alternative fuel vehicles.
Watch this video of our Senior Fleet Designer, Rick Thomson, as he describes his vision when fully designing this electric hybrid truck for our field crews.