Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced it is collaborating with Landi Renzo USA for 200 new Ford F-250 service pickup trucks to join the utility fleet, according to the company's news release. The trucks will be converted to run on renewable natural gas (RNG).

The service trucks will be outfitted with the latest Landi Renzo Eco Ready equipment, a California Air Resource Board-certified ultra-low emissions vehicle system.

Last year, SoCalGas partnered with Landi Renzo USA to convert 200 service trucks to be added to the fleet.

"The City of Torrance is proud to have high-tech forward-thinking businesses such as Landi Renzo call Torrance home," said Torrance Mayor George K. Chen. "In line with the City's strategic plan element of Stewardship of the Environment, Torrance proudly supports the efforts of the Landi Renzo and SoCalGas partnership to reduce emissions and move towards a sustainable future for not only our city, but our region, and the world."

With the conversion of an additional 200 new RNG trucks this year through the continued partnership, SoCalGas said its fleet is expected to reduce an additional 2,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2e), resulting in approximately 44% of SoCalGas' service vehicles will run on clean fuels. This is equivalent to removing 1,800 passenger vehicles from California roads for one year, according to SoCalGas.

"Our longstanding partnership with Landi Renzo USA is one of many initiatives that will help SoCalGas reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector and help reach our net-zero goal," said Sandra Hrna, VP of supply chain and operations support at SoCalGas. "The new clean energy technologies provided by Landi Renzo are innovative and have always delivered great results which will help decarbonize the transportation sector."

"We are excited about continuing this partnership with SoCalGas to deploy more eco-friendly fuel vehicles. With these vehicles operating on RNG, SoCalGas is driving toward a sustainable future. We applaud their leadership and look forward to more opportunities for decarbonization," said Andrea Landi, president of Landi Renzo USA.

RNG is a renewable form of energy produced through the capture of methane emissions from organic waste materials from wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and other sources, according to SoCalGas. 

Landi Renzo USA said it will continue to partner with Phenix Truck Body and CTEC Truck Body for the additional 200 units. The Landi Renzo Eco Ready CNG system is designed and engineered from the base Ford 6.2-liter engine in partnership between Landi Renzo USA and Ford. The additional 200-unit fleet conversion is expected to be complete by the end of the year, according to SoCalGas.

SoCalGas said employing a clean fleet is a part of its mission to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in its operations and delivery of energy by 2045. SoCalGas' clean fleet goals include a 100% zero-emission over-the-road fleet by 2035.