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Wednesday, March 8, 2023

MidAmerican first in Iowa to add all-electric bucket trucks

DES MOINES, Iowa – (March 7, 2023) – MidAmerican Energy is rolling out three all-electric utility bucket trucks in Iowa, becoming the first utility in the state to take the first step toward electrifying its heavy-duty service fleet.

The all-electric trucks can drive up to 135 miles on a full charge and will operate hydraulic equipment for a full day's range of work. Each truck’s aerial lift and bucket can lift crews and equipment up to 55 feet for line repair, maintenance and construction work. They feature separate battery sources for the vehicle and lift mechanism.

The all-electric trucks add to the company’s fleet of 100 vehicles that are partially or totally electrified, including general purpose company electric vehicles and hybrids, utility trucks outfitted with electric booms, and other pieces of equipment.

“One of our company’s core principles is environmental respect,” John Guy, MidAmerican vice president of electric delivery, said. “We’ve already added more than two dozen electric vehicles to our light-duty fleet, which includes cars and minivans, and this is our first step in electrifying our medium-and heavy-duty utility vehicles.”

All-electric trucks now located in Sioux City, Des Moines and Quad Cities areas

MidAmerican will deploy its first all-electric trucks to operations centers in Sioux City and the Quad Cities, and the company’s training center near Adel, which will be used for indoor and outdoor training in addition to Des Moines-area line work. The truck assigned to the training center will enable crews to train indoors without experiencing engine noise or emissions.

When not in service, the trucks will recharge at select company facilities equipped with fast chargers.

“A bucket truck is a line crew’s workhorse, and our line crews are eager to roll out these all-electric trucks,” Guy said. “These all-electric trucks drive, idle and operate quietly without emissions, which is good for the environment,” he added. “Our customers and crews will notice a difference, especially when they’re working at night in quiet neighborhoods.”

The three all-electric trucks are part of a company pilot program to test their performance in working conditions. If the trial is successful, MidAmerican plans to expand its all-electric heavy-duty vehicle fleet.

“This pilot project exemplifies MidAmerican’s commitment to respecting our environment and is now helping drive us on our journey to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions,” Guy continued.

About MidAmerican Energy Company
MidAmerican Energy, headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, serves 813,000 electric customers in Iowa, Illinois and South Dakota, and 789,000 natural gas customers in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and South Dakota. Information about MidAmerican is available at MidAmericanEnergy.com and company social media channels.