Electric Vehicles International (EVI), a manufacturer of alternative energy vehicles, joined by natural gas and electric utility company Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), unveiled the utility industry’s first extended-range electric vehicle (E-REV) Class 5 trucks at EVI’s facility in Stockton, Calif.

The E-REV utility trucks, developed by EVI in partnership with PG&E and the California Energy Commission, were designed, built, and tested at EVI’s manufacturing plant in Stockton. The E-REV features an all-electric range of 45 miles and fuel savings of up to 30 percent when the units are operating in exended-range mode, PG&E said. PG&E said it accepted delivery of the first two E-REV trucks this summer and purchased two additional units after the first demonstration of the vehicles.

PG&E plans to eventually replace all 942 of its gasoline-fueled Class 5 vehicles, including bucket trucks, flat beds, and other service trucks, with E-REV models, which would save the utility nearly $3.5 million in fuel costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 9,000 metric tons annually, according to PG&E. In addition to the fuel savings and environmental benefits that PG&E anticipates as it deploys these trucks in increasing numbers, the trucks also offer up to 75 kW of exportable power that could be used to provide power to the grid during planned or unplanned power outages, and the utility is working closely with EVI to move that number even higher, PG&E said.