Vestas, which helps maintain and operate nearly 15,000 turbines across the US, is accelerating its fleet electrification strategy with a new charger and EV rollout.
The company is integrating more than 300 Ford F-150 Lightning EVs into its service fleet and Ford Pro EV chargers across its network to keep them powered up.
Vestas says that part of ensuring the smooth operations of its technology includes a reliable vehicle fleet that can transport its wind turbine technicians and their tools and equipment to often remote wind parks.
As part of this sustainability strategy, Vestas has a goal of becoming a carbon neutral company by 2030 without using carbon offsets. To help achieve this, the company Vestas has started transitioning its service vehicle fleet to EVs or sustainably fueled vehicles. In North America, Vestas’ service fleet comprises of around 1,850 vehicles. With its recent order of 300+ Ford F-150 Lightnings, EVs will make up 20% of its fleet.
Ford Pro’s interoperable charging hardware and solutions can be used not only with the F-150 Lightnings, but also across a variety of multi-make vehicles.
Vestas aays the location of wind parks across the US demands a vehicle that can carry equipment and tools while navigating off-road terrain. Initially, when EVs emerged in the market, it was challenging to find larger options capable of storing and transporting the necessary tools its wind turbine technicians use when conducting maintenance or other work on a wind turbine. Therefore, the introduction of an EV pickup truck, such as the Ford F-150 Lightning, is ideal for our operations, combining utility, range, and sustainability.
Many Vestas service contracts are at wind parks located in remote areas, resulting in higher expenditures on fuel for conventional vehicles. The company says the emergence of EV options presents an exciting opportunity, as the energy produced by Vestas wind turbines can now be utilized to power its service vehicles. By installing the Ford Pro chargers at sites, as well, the company adds it can further mitigate challenges associated with travel costs and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Vestas' wind turbine technicians can power their tools with the F-150 Lightning’s Pro Power Onboard, a mobile energy source that powers devices and tools.
Michael Kraft, Vestas’ fleet manager in North America, commented: “Vestas is on an ambitious sustainability journey, and we need to collaborate with like-minded leaders across the various sectors of our supply chain to reach our bold targets. With Ford being one of those leaders here in the US, incorporating the F-150 Lightnings into our service fleet was a good fit for us.”
