As you read this, delivery trucks from Rico Brand are dropping off delicious food at grocery stores and restaurants across Utah, and up the canyon, vans from Ski Butlers are gearing up for a busy ski season, crisscrossing ski resorts through snowy and mountainous terrain.
With every mile driven, these fleets are collecting data about how they can ditch the tailpipe and go electric. It’s all part of Utah Clean Energy’s collaboration with Merge Electric Fleet Solutions to help local fleets plan their switch to clean electric trucks.
Information is Power
Alas, switching a fleet to electric is not as easy as changing a tire. Will Ski Butlers be able to charge in ultra-cold weather? Can Rico guarantee its food products are delivered on time and fresh? Enter Merge Electric Fleet Solutions.
Telematics devices installed on Rico Brand and Ski Butlers fleet vehicles are providing real-world operational data for Merge to analyze. This data allows Merge to provide Ski Butlers and Rico Brand with insights and recommendations about charging needs, vehicle types, routes, greenhouse gas emissions, and more. With this information, Ski Butlers and Rico Brand will be better positioned to make informed, strategic decisions about their journey toward fleet electrification.
Why Electrify?
The need for more electric medium- and heavy-duty (MHD) vehicles cannot be overstated. We know that nationwide these vehicles account for only 10% of total vehicle registrations, and yet contribute 26% of the sector’s carbon emissions, and 45% of total Nitrous Oxide (NOx) pollution. Moreover, historically disadvantaged communities face the brunt of this pollution due to being collocated near interstate corridors and freight centers.
As the data from Rico Brand and Ski Butlers is analyzed, it will provide valuable insights not just for these companies but for the many others that could follow their lead. Utah’s roads could soon benefit from delivery trucks, shuttle vans, and other essential vehicles driving quietly and cleanly across our neighborhoods, canyons, and cities.
We would like to clarify that Utah Clean Energy is not a solar company. We are a nonprofit organization that advocates for solar and other clean energy technologies, but we do not install or sell solar in any way.