Oregon fleet reporting substantial fuel savings, lower emissions with XL hybrid vans

XL-hybrid-Ford-Transit-Oregon

Rogue Valley Transportation District in Oregon announced that six XL hybrid-electric (HEV) passenger vans that it recently acquired are already providing impressive fuel savings when compared to the fleet’s conventional vans.

Rogue Valley reported that its XL Ford Transit vans are seeing more than a 25 percent increase in MPG over their conventional Transit vans. In addition, RVTD expects to decrease CO2 emissions by 20 percent.

“Our agency pioneered compressed natural gas and other renewable initiatives as early as two decades ago, and we continue to take advantage of new technologies that can reduce our carbon footprint and reliably serve our riders,” said Tim D’Alessandro, operations manager at RVTD. “Adopting fleet electrification technology with XL was relatively inexpensive with a significant return on investment, and this long-standing approach keeps us ahead as new legislation and initiatives emphasize less reliance on traditional fossil fuels.”

Using regenerative braking and electric assist during driving, the XLH electrification technology increases fuel economy without requiring additional charging stations or investment.

In addition to the RVTD deployment, XL provides HEV and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicle systems, which are standard wall outlet-ready, to municipal fleets across the U.S., which rely on XL’s technology to electrify vehicles without the extra cost of building additional charging infrastructure. RVTD anticipates the XL HEV vans will also see improved brake life in addition to the MPG gains the technology has already provided.

“Rogue Valley and similar transit agencies are leading the way to create greener fleets today through new vehicle technology such as XL’s, which can be ordered through their bus dealers,” said Clay Siegert, co-founder and chief operating officer of XL. “The XLH system, which has over 65 million miles of proven performance with hundreds of fleets, is a perfect fit for Rogue Valley, reducing maintenance and emissions while leaving the Ford vehicle warranty intact.”