AT&T has reached the halfway mark of its commitment to invest up to $565 million to deploy approximately 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles over the course of a 10-year period through 2018. The company has placed over 7,500 alternative fuel vehicles in 44 states nationwide. The latest vehicle, a 2013 compressed natural gas (CNG) Chevy Express van, was recently delivered to a U-verse technician in Lenexa, Kan.

AT&T plans to deploy up to 8,000 CNG vehicles to its fleet over a five-year period through the end of first quarter 2014. The 7,500 AFVs AT&T has already placed in service are comprised of 5,474 CNG, 1,996 hybrid electric, 27 extended range electric, and three all-electric vehicles. AT&T’s deployment of alternative fuel vehicles has saved the company from purchasing 7.7 million gallons of gasoline in the first four years of the program.

“With the help and support of community leaders all over the country, we’ve reached this major milestone and brought thousands of alternative fuel vehicles to U.S. roads,” said Jerome Webber, vice president, AT&T Global Fleet Operations. “These 7,500 vehicles represent reduced emissions, improved fuel efficiency and reduced operational costs.”

“As part of the National Clean Fleets program we work with large national fleets. These fleets serve the role as pace-setter, they help to promote the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles by other fleets and by retail consumers,” noted Mark Smith of the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program. “Ultimately this gets back to improving our country’s economic, environmental and energy security.”

The remaining AFV deployments beyond first quarter 2014 will primarily consist of alternative fuel passenger vehicles including hybrid electric and plug-in extended range electric vehicles.