Affirming its commitment to reducing emissions, Sunbelt Rentals has ordered 700 Ford Lightnings for its fleet.
The electric pickup trucks are likely to be a popular item among those in need. The current waiting list to buy one is about three years with more than 200,000 reservations submitted by December 2021.
Sunbelt’s trucks are slated to be delivered this summer.
“The demand in the market already exceeds supply for the next few years for these electric vehicles, so we are incredibly excited to be receiving the first shipment of these groundbreaking trucks this summer,” said Eric Jahnsen, director of transportation management at Sunbelt Rentals. “This initiative aligns with the commitment we make to our customers and team members through The Power of Sunbelt — prioritizing continuous innovation among the key values of doing business.”
The purchase of the trucks contributes to Sunbelt Rentals’ goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity 35% by 2030.
In 2021, Sunbelt Rentals announced that leading by way of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) would be one of the five pillars of the company’s strategic vision. Sunbelt Rentals is actively investing in new low- and zero-carbon technologies for both its on-road fleet and its stable of rental equipment. Making this investment not only supports Sunbelt Rentals' vision, but it also helps its customers as they look toward their own ESG goals.
“This investment highlights our strong commitment to reduce our GHG emissions through the adoption of new on-road fleet technology,” said Al Halvorsen, vice president of ESG at Sunbelt Rentals. “Starting the conversion of our truck fleet to electric alternatives, like the Ford Lightning, is critical to our ability to reach our ambitious GHG reduction goals and still continue to serve our customers with availability, reliability and ease.”
Through a strategic partnership, Sunbelt Rentals announced early this year that it will be the first national rental equipment company in North America to adopt Bobcat’s battery-electric technology that was unveiled at CES 2022. The company will be adding Bobcat’s T7X electric compact track loader to its fleet in the future.
More OEMs are challenging the status quo to deliver an all-electric machine that can maintain the power and performance of its diesel counterparts, and Sunbelt says it intends to be at the forefront providing those machines or vehicles to its customers.
With the Ford Lightning, there are battery options, a standard and extended range. The standard battery range of the Lightning Pro is an estimated 230 miles, while the extended range is projected at 300 miles. Ford’s review of telematics data found that an average F-150 commercial customer travels about 174 miles per day.
Outside of the battery system, the Lightning is an F-150 pickup with a 5.5-food bed and a storage compartment under the hood that can hold 400 pounds and is equipped with a drain for easier cleaning.
In addition, through an 80-amp wall box charger at your home, the Lightning Pro can provide up to 9.6 kW to power a home during a power outage. According to. Ford, based on average usage, the Lightning could meet a home’s power needs for up to three days or as long 10 days if power is rationed.
As part of its package, Sunbelt Rentals will purchase and install Level 2 wall-mount chargers at employees’ homes for more efficient charging.
