Minnesota Power displayed five new all-electric pickups on the Lake Superior Plaza on Friday afternoon. The new Chevrolet Silverado electric pickups are the first models delivered in the Upper Midwest and will be deployed for field operations after the photo/video opportunity. Also on display was a new Volkswagen ID.4 electric vehicle. Minnesota Power is in the early stages of switching a significant portion of its light-duty vehicle fleet to EVs as part of its EnergyForward strategy for a carbon-free future and expects delivery of two more Silverados in coming weeks.

The company’s current EV fleet now includes six Silverado pickups after the company received the first one delivered in Minnesota and Wisconsin in November 2023, the Volkswagen ID.4, four Chevrolet Bolts and three hybrid-electric bucket trucks. Superior Water, Light and Power also has one Chevrolet Bolt. Support for EVs, including expanding access to public charging stations, special rates for EV charging, and rebates for home chargers, is part of Minnesota Power’s commitment to climate, customers, and communities. The company’s EnergyForward strategy also includes adding more wind and solar resources to its energy mix and investing in transmission and distribution infrastructure to safeguard a reliable and resilient grid that can deliver increasing amounts of renewable energy.

 Through its EnergyForward strategy, Minnesota Power became the first utility in the state to deliver 50% renewable energy to its customers in 2020, and in 2022 achieved nearly 60% renewable with a goal of being more than 70% renewable by 2030. The increasingly clean energy can power cleaner transportation, reducing carbon emissions while saving on fuel costs.