ENMAX first utility in Canada to pilot medium-duty electric fleet vehicles

ENMAX is the first utility in Canada to pilot medium-duty electric fleet vehicles, allowing us to learn more about what fleet electrification looks like as we work toward electrifying our fleet.

Since spring 2022, two ENMAX electric fleet vehicles have been out on the streets across Calgary as part of ENMAX’s commitment to a cleaner energy future. The pilot program is the first of its kind in Canada and could save an estimated 4,300 litres of diesel per vehicle every year.

This pilot will help us better understand the performance of electric vehicles and how they operate in the field, said Jana Mosley, president of ENMAX Power. Our customers need us to be future-focused, ensuring that we can support them in their energy choices. When it comes to electrification, we have an incredible opportunity to do just that, by electrifying first.

The pilot received just over $1 million in funding from the Government of Alberta through Emissions Reduction Alberta’s BEST Challenge—a funding opportunity for biotechnology, electricity, and sustainable transportation.

The pilot is part of ENMAX’s goal to electrify 35 per cent of our mobile fleet by 2030. Electric vehicles (EVs) are not only better for the environment, they are also more cost-efficient in the long run, Mosley said.

When compared to a standard gas or diesel vehicle, the total cost of electric vehicle ownership over the lifecycle is about 50 per cent less for maintenance and operational expenses,she said. EVs reduce ENMAX’s carbon footprint and also reduce our operating costs.

ENMAX will be sharing what we learn from the pilot with peer utilities to help advance a cleaner energy future for the industry.

The two Class 6 fully electric trucks have a custom-built body from Intercontinental Truck Body Ltd., and chassis from International, a subsidiary of Navistar.