PECO, Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas delivery company and provider of energy to millions of customers in the Greater Philadelphia region, is on a Path to Clean, working with its parent company Exelon to reduce its operations-driven emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. To meet these aggressive targets, the company has been implementing programs to dramatically reduce its carbon footprint, while also investing in infrastructure to make cleaner energy solutions more accessible, affordable, and equitable for customers. One of the ways PECO is doing this is by embracing electric vehicles (EVs).

PECO currently operates more than 160 EVs, including fully electric vehicles, hybrids, and vehicles with plug-in idle mitigation units, and that number continues to grow. Earlier this year, the company unveiled its first-ever 100-percent electric bucket truck, making PECO one of the first utilities in Pennsylvania to integrate an all-electric heavy-duty vehicle into the company fleet. This truck offers numerous advantages over traditional diesel-powered vehicles, including zero tailpipe emissions, significantly reduced fueling and maintenance costs, and an ultra-quiet operation that benefits communities and improves employee safety.

Significant as this progress may be, it’s simply not enough for the company to focus only on its own emissions — that’s why working with customers and communities to help them access cleaner electric transportation options is an integral part of PECO’s Path to Clean commitment. As vehicle emissions present one of the most significant air quality challenges for Pennsylvania, PECO actively supports transportation electrification, helping customers embrace cleaner energy options and transition to EVs.

To support this effort, PECO developed an online EVsmart Toolkit to help customers learn more about EVs and access incentives available from the company and elsewhere. This interactive tool allows customers to calculate potential savings based on personal driving habits, as well as research new EV and Plug-In-Hybrid (PIHEV) options and identify tax incentives. There is also a map to make it easy to find charging stations near where you live or work.

With the PECO Driver Rebate Program, customers can earn $50 just by informing the company that they have purchased an EV. The company has also taken the show on the road; as a proud sponsor of the Philadelphia Auto Show for many years, PECO uses this important platform to promote the benefits of transportation electrification, educating customers, and members of the community about the available programs and incentives that make embracing and transitioning to EVs easier than ever.

In addition to its EVsmart Toolkit and outreach efforts, PECO offers significant rebates and incentives for residential and business customers investing in new EV technology. One example is the Level 2 Commercial Electric Vehicle Charging Program (L2 Program), which provides rebates to commercial customers for make-ready costs associated with installing new qualifying Level 2 EV chargers at sites with non-residential PECO electric service. Enhanced incentives are available for Environmental Justice Areas, which are areas defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as having been disproportionately impacted by the harmful effects of air pollution.

A popular use-case for the L2 Program is providing support to install EV charging infrastructure at multi-unit dwellings, helping to make EV ownership easier for residents in urban areas who don’t have their own garage or driveway. In 2023, 2601 Parkway Condominiums in Philadelphia took advantage of an $8,000 grant from PECO to support the installation of 16 L2 chargers in its underground parking garage, providing convenient access to EV charging for residents.

While more and more residential and commercial customers are choosing to drive electric, PECO is also collaborating with school districts to help them leverage funds from the federal government to incorporate electric school buses into their fleets. Two school districts in the region will be adding emissions-free electric school buses to their fleets thanks to support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. The School District of Philadelphia is set to receive a $7.9 million grant to purchase 20 electric buses, and the William Penn School District in Delaware County will benefit from a winning grant application from private school bus operator First Student, which was awarded nearly $40 million to purchase 100 school buses for use throughout Pennsylvania. PECO is collaborating with the grant recipients, providing technical support to develop the necessary charging infrastructure to sustain the new buses.

PECO is also working with federal and state agencies to implement the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program that will provide funding to states to strategically deploy electric vehicle charging stations and establish an interconnected network to facilitate data collection, access, and reliability. This program aims to combat range anxiety by developing a comprehensive national network of EV charging stations, enhancing EV accessibility, and supporting the transition to cleaner transportation. PECO’s role includes providing technical expertise, managing grid connections, and ensuring that the EV charging infrastructure meets federal standards for accessibility and reliability.

PECO’s Path to Clean commitment is also demonstrated through the company’s leadership with Doug Oliver, Senior Vice President of Governmental, Regulatory, and External Affairs, serving as a contributing voice on Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Clean and Green Cabinet, championing a cleaner and sustainable future for the city.

“As a company and in partnership with our customers and communities, we’re continually building on our commitment to protect and preserve the environment for the diverse communities we serve,” said Oliver. “We have made significant progress thus far and will continue supporting and playing a leading role in the Greater Philadelphia region’s transition to a cleaner energy future.”

PECO believes that supporting electric transportation options is critical to reducing the region’s carbon footprint and bringing cleaner air to the communities that it serves. Together with its customers and communities, PECO is making a cleaner, brighter future a reality for the Greater Philadelphia region. Lean more about PECO’s incentives and programs.

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Brian Ahrens is a Senior Communications Specialist at PECO.