PP&L, Inc. has introduced seven state-of-the-art Chevrolet pickup trucks into its fleet.

Frank Long, executive vice president and chief operating officer of PP&L, said, "These zero-emissions trucks demonstrate that PP&L is committed to using leading-edge technology in day-to-day business operations."

Two of the electric trucks will operate in the Lehigh Valley, one of which will be used by a meter reader. The remaining trucks will be located at the Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick.

Long said PP&L is very excited about the partnership that resulted in the addition of these electric vehicles to the company's fleet. "We congratulate General Motors for its decision in the mid-1980s to commit to zero-emissions electric vehicles," Long said. "And we are especially pleased that Brown-Daub Motors has committed to electric vehicles and is the first such distributor in Pennsylvania and most of New Jersey."

"PP&L and Brown-Daub are pioneers in the promotion of electric vehicles," said Bob Hayes of Chevrolet commercial specialty vehicles.

"The S-10 fits right in with the needs of fleet managers. And dealers like Brown-Daub are leading the effort to sell and service electric vehicles."

Brown-Daub has purchased tools and equipment to service the electric vehicles, while providing training to a technician on the maintenance of the trucks. It will offer full service for the vehicles, including the batterypack and electric-propulsion system.

Andy Daub, owner of Brown-Daub, said, "We're glad to be a partner in this effort. It makes good business sense to promote a clean-running, efficient automotive product. And, we're very pleased that PP&L is our first customer."

The S-10 electric pickups require minimal maintenance. The charger is convenient and safe to use in any weather and shuts off automatically when the vehicle is charged. The S-10 electric's motor is small and lightweight-- about 16 inches in diameter and only 154 pounds. All this translates into a smooth, quiet ride in a vehicle that has the look and feel of its gasoline-powered counterpart, but with no pollution.

The S-10 electric's technology is sophisticated enough that during braking or coasting, the motor turns into a generator and converts this kinetic energy into electricity, which in turn is returned to the batteries that normally power the vehicle.