In the center of a Pomona garage, a shiny new electric pickup is undergoing a makeover. As skilled “upfitters” navigate through the electric vehicle, attaching lights, safety racks, tool bins, bed covers and IT equipment, the scent of new car interiors mingles with the sharp pings of metalworking.

It’s not for a car show or a celebrity photo shoot but for Southern California Edison. The vehicle is one of the many new EVs in SCE’s light-duty fleet being customized for the rigors of fieldwork with specialized equipment and accessories.

The Art of Upfitting

“To get vehicles ready for utility fleet work, they need changes that match the specific needs. This is upfitting,” said Todd Davis, executive vice president of Phenix Truck Bodies and Van Equipment. “The goal is to enhance a vehicle’s safety, efficiency and performance in the field.”

It can be a complex process.

“A vehicle upfit can range from putting a toolbox in a truck bed to transforming the whole vehicle to specialize its function,” Davis said. “Modifications can improve the vehicle’s functionality.”

Pomona’s Phenix Truck Bodies and Van Equipment has been an SCE vendor since 1988. A Hispanic-owned business, it is among the more than 630 diverse suppliers that provide expertise and innovative solutions to SCE and its communities. Adapting to SCE’s evolving needs, Phenix is broadening its skill set and ramping up its operations to accommodate new and innovative work. Today's unique task is modifications on SCE’s growing EV fleet.

“There is a different approach when working on electric vehicles and their new systems. We work with the OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to determine how to integrate modifications properly. Our installers are mindful of working and installing around high-voltage wiring and batteries,” Davis said.

EVs Benefit the Community

SCE aims to electrify all the cars and smaller SUVs — along with two-thirds of the half-ton pickup trucks — in its fleet by the end of 2030. Earlier this year, SCE began receiving its first electric pickup trucks.

“Switching our light-duty fleet to electric is important as it can improve the air quality in California and our local communities,” said Todd Carlson, SCE principal manager of Fleet Asset Management. “Having electric pickup trucks is a new option we're thrilled about.”

SCE has added about 35 EV pickups to its fleet this year, joining nearly 150 to 200 other light-duty SUV hybrids, Chevy Bolts and Jeep Wrangler hybrids. Five hundred new electric Ford and Chevy pickups will soon be in the SCE’s fleet following the upfitting process.

This work is about more than preparing trucks for the field; it’s about driving to a clean energy future.

For more on SCE’s clean energy efforts, visit edison.com/cleanenergy.