AT and T Commits to 15,000 Alternate Energy Vehicles Over the Course of the Next Ten Years

Are you ready for some really good news? Heaven knows we are inundated with woeful news every day so this story is a welcome breeze. AT&T has gone on record stating they will deploy 15,000 alternative energy vehicles in their fleet over the course of the next decade. If every fleet in the nation adopted this same policy, imagine the impact.

The majority of new purchases will be compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles with the remainder being hybrids (hopefully the plug-in variety). CNG cars and trucks are a great alternative to gasoline and it is a mystery why their use is not more widespread. Expanding the CNG fuel infrastructure would be easily accomplished and not be too costly, which would help the adoption towards this clean burning energy greatly.

Alt Energy Autos promotes the use of these vehicles and applauds AT&T for making a difference and making a statement to the world.

From Green Car Congress:

T&T plans to invest up to $565 million as part of a long-term strategy to deploy more than 15,000 alternative-fuel vehicles over the next 10 years. AT&T expects to spend an estimated $350 million to purchase about 8,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles and approximately $215 million to begin replacing its passenger cars with alternative-fuel models, beginning with hybrids.

AT&’s investment represents the largest US corporate commitment to CNG vehicles to date. The new deployments will bring AT&T’s alternative-fuel fleet to more than 15,000 vehicles by 2019.

AT&T and other US corporations have a unique opportunity to partner with the new administration as it works to lead the country out of this economic downturn. While there are no easy solutions to the challenges facing our nation, this investment is a first step on our part to help boost other industries while at the same time encouraging wider use and production of efficient vehicles and domestic fuel alternatives.

—Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T

The Center for Automotive Research (CAR) in Ann Arbor, Mich., estimates that the new vehicles will save 49 million gallons of gasoline and reduce carbon emissions by 211,000 metric tons over the 10-year deployment period.

Over the next five years, AT&T will replace about 8,000 gasoline-powered service vehicles with vehicles powered by domestically available CNG. CNG vehicles are expected to emit approximately 25% less greenhouse gas emissions than those traditionally powered by gasoline.

The vehicle chassis will be built domestically by a US automotive manufacturer. AT&T will then work with domestic suppliers to convert the chassis to run on CNG. AT&T will also work with natural gas service providers to build up to 40 new CNG fueling stations across its operating region to provide the fueling infrastructure needed for the new vehicles.

As it begins to retire gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in its fleet, AT&T has committed to replacing them with alternative-fuel models. AT&T expects to replace 7,100 passenger cars over the next 10 years. The alternative-fuel vehicles, which will be used by employees in a variety of diverse work functions across AT&T’s operations, are expected to offer up to a 39% improvement in fuel economy and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 29%.

During the initial phase of the deployment, gasoline-powered passenger vehicles will be replaced with hybrid models. As technologies evolve, additional alternative-fuel vehicle types will be considered for inclusion.

In 2009, AT&T will deploy nearly 800 of the CNG and hybrid electric vehicles. A Green Technology insignia will make the vehicles easy to identify on the road.

The new CNG/passenger vehicle commitment follows AT&T’s deployment of 105 alternative-fuel vehicles in more than 30 US cities in June 2008. In addition, AT&T piloted four Ford Escape hybrids, which were deployed in late 2007 in California.

AT&T has determined that a mix of solutions is right for its fleet and that multiple technologies can help reduce its operating costs over time, while effectively reducing its fuel consumption and impact on the environment.