Heavy-Duty EVs Hit the Road

Heavy-Duty EVs Hit the Road

Santa Barbara Welcomes New Commuter Buses,
Delivery Vans, and High-Tech Tractor

By Emma Eckert | April 24, 2025

Read more of our 2025 Earth Day cover story here. 

In the birthplace of Earth Day, there is a clear drive toward a more sustainable future as regional partners expand the electric vehicle movement beyond the typical car.

Shifting gears to 100 percent renewable energy, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is now using an electric tractor to tend to its greenery. Out on the highway, the Ventura County Transportation Commission is rolling out electric buses for its Coastal Express line. And FedEx has launched its pilot line of electric vans here in Southern California.

With the addition of the new tractor, the Botanic Garden is now most of the way toward its goal of going fully electric. All that remains of the are two diesel utility carts and a gas-powered chipper, said Keith Nevison, director of horticulture and operations. 

After almost two years of conversations, the garden received the electric Monarch tractor through a state program. “Essentially, it’s a computer on wheels versus old technology that is pollutive,” said Nevison, explaining the new equipment reinforces the garden’s commitment to natural land stewardship and habitat creation.

Down the coast, the Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC) — in partnership with the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) — is adding five new electric buses to its Coastal Express fleet, which runs between the two counties. They will hit the road soon after an April 25 ceremony that will mark the completion of the Padaro and Summerland sections of the Highway 101 widening project. 

Martin Erickson, executive director of VCTC, explained that while transit ridership declined during the pandemic, it has now stabilized, and they hope the new buses will help attract even more riders. Erickson noted that residents choosing to take public transit are already reducing carbon emissions, and these buses will only add to that effort. 

Closer to home and in your neighborhood, FedEx is also getting in on the action. The company recently dispatched a number of electric delivery vans across Santa Barbara and throughout Southern California. FedEx has a global goal of utilizing an all-electric parcel pickup and delivery fleet by 2040, and has begun taking a phased approach to electrification, said spokesperson Savannah Haeger.

“Around a quarter of all FedEx-owned vehicles at our main facility serving Santa Barbara are currently electric, with additional EVs on order,” Haeger said. She explained these vehicles charge overnight and operate their routes on a single charge.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a 2022 study showed that medium- and heavy-duty vehicles account for more than a third of the country’s greenhouse-gas emissions. FedEx says that electrification is essential to a comfortable community life as it reduces noise pollution, makes driving safer with 360-degree cameras, and helps cut down on our reliance on fossil fuels.