There are roughly 18,000 gas-powered automobiles within the USFS fleet. That quantity will doubtless be altering within the coming years because the Biden administration signed into regulation an government order that by 2027 all automobiles bought by the feds will must be zero emission automobiles.
The USFS is getting a head begin on that.
They’ve lately bought three Ford F-150 Lightnings, Ford’s all-electric truck that has shortly turn out to be the top-selling EV truck within the nation. Ford has offered 13,258 of the vehicles to this point and there’s a three-year backlog on reservations with greater than 200,000 folks ready.
The USFS is testing out the capabilities of the vehicles in off-roading environments, doing severe truck stuff. Off-roading and ruggedness shouldn’t be an issue for the vehicles as they’re constructed on a loads strong platform, however the forest service is fascinated with how the batteries carry out to allow them to institute finest practices as extra of the EVs enter the fleet. Lots of the testing might be carried out in brutal New England winter climate within the White Mountains.
The plan is to cost the vehicles at evening so there’s no want but to put money into any sort of distant charging infrastructure. The USFS is rolling with the least costly choice for his or her wants (cheaper even than its fuel equal), with a 230-mile vary, all-wheel drive, and a 2,000-pound payload.
Bear in thoughts, this pilot program isn’t a case of testing the vehicles to see in the event that they can be utilized in any respect — the USFS is glad with the aptitude of the platform, they’re merely studying how the vehicles will react to heavy work to allow them to plan accordingly.
And in the event that they’re strong sufficient for distant backcountry work for the USFS, they’re doubtless strong sufficient for the wants of us automotive tenting varieties.