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San Diego vehicle fleets making big switch to electric

It’s Electric Vehicle Fleet Day on the Broadway Pier, a one-stop shop showcasing some of the latest EV technology.

SAN DIEGO — With sky-high gas prices, more and more companies are thinking about switching to electric including bigger fleets of vehicles for businesses, cities, and school districts.

CBS 8 stopped by Electric Vehicle Fleet Day on Thursday at the Broadway Pier to check out all the new electric rides.

It’s Electric Vehicle Fleet Day on the Broadway Pier, a one-stop shop showcasing some of the latest EV technology.

“We have a fully electric waste-hauling truck,” said Natasha Contreras with SDGE’s ‘Clean Transportation Group. “We have a fully electric school bus, some big rig trucks, a shuttle delivery van,” said Contreras. 

EV Fleet Day was a one-stop shop showcasing some of the latest electric vehicle technology, giving customers all the tools they need to make the big switch to electrify their fleet.

“Huge savings, diesel’s obviously going up and we’re able to offset the energy with solar panels and save money for the district,” said Lyndsey Danner with the Grossmont Union School District. 

They’re transitioning to electric school buses using grant money from the state. They’ll be receiving 18 E-buses in June and plan to have them up and running this fall.

“About $5 million dollar savings, definitely less noise, offsetting those greenhouse emissions, and cost savings for our district,” said Danner.

A fully electric garbage hauler by MACK truck was on display for event-goers to see up close and sit inside the driver’s cab.

“Four batteries. You’ve got two in here and two down here,” said Jason Chambers, District Sales Manager for MACK truck.

It charges up in about 90 minutes and can run about 60 to 70 miles, and it’s a lot quieter than diesel garbage trucks.

“Because it’s electric, it’s going to be very quiet and it’s going to be very torquey,” said Chambers. “They’re fun to drive. You don’t have the noise from the brakes or the engine because it’s obviously all electric.” 

Among the array of heavy-duty EV’s at the event was a much smaller vehicle by Aptera Motors, claiming to be the world’s most efficient vehicle on the planet. Aptera Motors is based in Carlsbad.

“Our unique, aerodynamic shape is what gives us the ability to drive through the air with the least resistance as possible,” said Sarah Hardwick, Chief Marketing Officer for Aptera Motors.

The three-wheeling, aerodynamic design gets up to 1,000 miles per charge and up to 40 miles a day of free power with the solar panels embedded on the roof, in the dashboard, and on the hood of the car. 

These vehicles should be on the road by early next year and the waiting list has over 18,000 people on it.

“It’s no longer in the future, right? They’re available to be ordered, you know,” said Contreras. “The future is here.”

WATCH RELATED: MAAC's Electric Vehicle Access Program for low-to-moderate income communities (March 2022).

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