Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is set to carry out an electric vehicle pilot in partnership with San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD), California, US, in a bid to prepare the county for its long-term electric transportation requirements.

PG&E will examine how smart charging and battery storage can slash operating costs while maximising efficiencies for San Joaquin RTD.

The pilot programme will help San Joaquin RTD achieve its goal of being powered by 100% electric vehicles by 2025.

Using different models with and without battery storage, PG&E will test, evaluate and compare the economics for charging at different times of the day.

“We will test capabilities to make electric vehicles more viable for transit agencies while helping to connect underserved communities and make clean energy transportation options more accessible.”

PG&E Grid Integration and Innovation vice-president Roy Kuga said: “There is a huge opportunity for electric transportation in California in the medium to heavy-duty space.

“Through this pilot, we will test capabilities to make electric vehicles more viable for transit agencies while helping to connect underserved communities and make clean energy transportation options more accessible.”

PG&E will fund up to five new electric bus chargers and a battery energy storage system. Additionally, the company will fund and build the infrastructure from the electric grid to the chargers and storage system.

The trial will also enable California to cut carbon emissions from passenger vehicles and medium or heavy-duty fleet vehicles, which makes up 40% of the state’s total carbon emissions.

Furthermore, the pilot will serve as a test case for PG&E’s new FleetReady programme, which was recently approved by the California Public Utilities Commission.

PG&E will finance and support the installation of infrastructure from the electric grid to the charger for users with medium-duty, heavy-duty and off-road fleets, including transit agencies, school districts and delivery fleets.