Cruising in the Electrification Fast Lane

The Los Angeles Auto Show is a car buffs dream - an adult playground where attendees can check out and test the latest innovations in the automobile world.

Sitting center stage at this year's media day was a fully upfitted Southern California Edison electric pickup truck. At the invitation of General Motors, SCE showcased an all-electric Chevy Silverado used in its everyday operations - a test case demonstrating the feasibility of electrifying company fleets.

Southern California Edison and General Motors showcase electric work pickup trucks at the LA Auto Show.

"We have one of the largest fleets of electric vehicles in the country," said Todd Carlson, SCE principal manager of Transportation Services. "We're leading the way for other companies, and proving it is possible."

This is all part of an effort to improve air quality and meet California's clean energy goals - some of the most ambitious in the country - and reach net zero by 2045.

One of the regulations set by the California Air Resources Board is the Advanced Clean Fleet Rule, which aims to have companies phase out gas-powered vehicles over the next 15 to 20 years. The regulation calls for businesses to electrify about 10% of their medium-duty work truck fleet every year.

SCE has begun electrifying its fleet using the Chevy Silverado and Ford Lightning.

With 282 Chevy Silverados, 225 Ford Lightnings and a mix of other vehicles, SCE is leading the charge in that transition. This year, the company has already met its goals for EVs needed by 2026.

"There's different milestones for different types of vehicles and we are significantly ahead with the Class 2 pickup truck size," Carlson said. "We have around 500 already headed to our drivers and we're ordering more every day."

With four-wheel and all-wheel drive capabilities, long-range battery, along with the ability to carry equipment or materials and transport people efficiently, the Silverado and Lightning have become the utility industry's go-to EVs.

(l-r) Cara Merriman, vice president of Corporate Development at Inspiration Mobility, Cody Collins, regional director at General Motors Envolve and Todd Carlson, SCE principal manager of Transportation Services, talk about the use of the Silverado in SCE's electrified fleet.

"With these trucks, we get to show our customers we are walking the talk," said Carlson. "And we love it. Even some of our employees who may be skeptical really end up loving it when we swap out their gas trucks for the electric."

Total electrification is the goal, but with more than 6,000 on- and off-road vehicles in SCE's fleet, reaching the goal will take time. So far, around 1,105 vehicles, including the pickups, have moved to plug-ins and more are on the way.

"Heavier work truck fleets are some of the hardest to electrify," said Carlson. "There are a lot of options available for local package delivery users - think Amazon or UPS - but when it comes to work trucks, manufacturers have not put as many resources toward engineering these lower-production volume trucks."

With over 500 electric pickup trucks, SCE has one of the country's largest EV fleets.

With what Carlson presented at the auto show, an electrification success story, SCE hopes to serve as an example that will encourage automakers to develop more EV technology and help meet the needs of fleets across the country.

"It can be challenging to find solutions to some of the supply issues, but I'm more excited than concerned," said Carlson. "Right now, the Chevy Silverado and Ford Lightning are how we are solving this puzzle and I'm confident we will continue to figure it out."

For more information on SCE's clean energy efforts, visit edison.com/cleanenergy.