ComEd Demonstrates Environmental Leadership by Investing in Hybrid Vehicles

CHICAGO, May 9, 2005 -- ComEd is adding a first-of-its-kind hybrid bucket truck and new hybrid SUVs to its fleet, strengthening its leadership position in the use of environment-friendly vehicles.

ComEd today demonstrated the new hybrid bucket truck and displayed some of the utility's new Ford Escape Hybrids at the DuPage Club in Oakbrook Terrace. These new hybrids, combined with ComEd's extensive use of biodiesel fuel, expand the utility's diversified fleet of alternative-fueled vehicles.

As part of a national pilot program, ComEd and another Exelon company, PECO Energy of Philadelphia, will be among the first utilities in the nation to test two new hybrid bucket trucks, manufactured by Warrenville, Ill.-based International Truck and Engine Corporation and Cleveland, Ohio-based Eaton Corporation. ComEd will place the hybrid bucket truck at the Chicago North Office later this year.

"We are taking a leadership role in the commercialization of hybrid heavy-duty trucks because of the benefits to customers and the environment," said John L. (Jack) Skolds, president, Exelon Energy Delivery, which consists of Chicago-based ComEd and Philadelphia-based PECO Energy. "We hope our involvement accelerates the development of hybrid trucks in our industry."

"The new International hybrid trucks for the utility industry represent the next step in the deployment of diesel-electric hybrid technology for broader commercial and military applications," said Tom Cellitti, vice president and general manager, Medium Vehicle Center, International Truck and Engine Corporation.

The combination diesel and electric powered trucks are expected to improve fuel economy up to 60 percent compared to diesel-only fueled trucks. The utility will test the truck's ability to reduce the length of power outages, as the vehicle can supply enough electricity to power several homes while crews investigate an outage.

When field personnel operate a diesel-powered bucket truck, the engine must remain on when employees use the bucket. The new hybrid truck allows the operator to shut off the diesel engine and operate the bucket on an electric motor for up to two hours before the engine has to come back on to briefly charge the battery. As a result, considerably less fuel is burned and noise is reduced. About two-thirds of the fuel savings result from the engine being shut off at the work site.

The new hybrid bucket truck program is administered by WestStart, a consortium of truck fleet users, truck makers, technology companies and the military. ComEd and PECO will collect data to be used in the future production of these vehicles.

In a separate deal, Exelon recently purchased 50 Ford Escape Hybrids, which now comprise about 25 percent of the company's overall SUV fleet. This is the largest purchase of Ford Escape Hybrids by a Midwest-based utility.

The combination gasoline and electric Ford Escapes operate in electric- only mode when the vehicles travel at low speeds or idle at a stop. As a result, the hybrid Escapes provide an estimated 50 percent improvement in city/highway fuel economy when compared to the conventional Escape.

Supervisors and technical inspectors throughout ComEd's northern Illinois service territory will use the vehicles.

"As part of our commitment to promoting environment-friendly technology, last year we were the first utility in the Midwest to test drive the 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid," said Bill Pettit, director, fleet services, Exelon Energy Delivery. "We found their performance to be cost effective, reliable, and supporting our commitment to the environment. Employees like driving them, too."

Exelon has a strong record of using alternative-fueled vehicles, which benefit communities because the vehicles run cleaner and get more miles per gallon of gas. Reducing the use of gasoline also lessens the country's dependence on foreign oil and decreases the emissions of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas linked to global climate change. The company's commitment to hybrid vehicles is one of the elements of Exelon's recently announced greenhouse gas reduction program. Last week, Exelon said it established a voluntary goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by eight percent from 2001 levels by the end of 2008.

ComEd became one of the nation's largest fleet users of biodiesel (B20) fuel in 2004, with more than 2 million gallons consumed. It emits 20 percent less sulfur, 14 percent less hydrocarbons and 9 percent less carbon dioxide than traditional diesel fuel. ComEd's use of B20 also supports Illinois' agricultural industry because it consists of 80 percent petroleum and 20 percent vegetable oil made from corn, soybeans and other crops.

In the area of compressed natural gas (CNG), PECO Energy for many years has operated light duty vehicles capable of operating on CNG, and maintains a public access refueling infrastructure in the Philadelphia region. CNG is one of the cleanest of the fossil fuels.

Commonwealth Edison Company (ComEd) is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation one of the nation's largest electric utilities with more than $14 billion in revenues and a customer base of more than 5 million. ComEd provides service to approximately 3.7 million customers across Northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state's population.