MN Sustainability

MnDOT fleet vehicles perform maintenance, snow plowing, delivery, and other duties statewide. MnDOT owns approximately 3,000 vehicles, the majority of which are medium and heavy-duty vehicles. Of the 1,000 light-duty vehicles that were used in 2022, 50 were hybrids and 79 were plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or electric vehicles (EV). We account for 25% of state government’s fleet fossil fuel use.

Our fleet fossil fuel use increased by nearly 10% from 2021 to 2022 due to significant increases in heavy fleet use from snow plowing during the 2022-2023 winter. Increased frequent winter snow events can dramatically affect the fossil fuel usage from year to year.

Light vehicles make up approximately 15% of MnDOT’s fuel use and we have a goal to transition all fleet sedans and small SUVs to zero emission vehicles by 2030. We added five PHEVs or EVs to the fleet in 2022. EVs, including PHEVs, account for 15% of our 234 light-duty fleet vehicles.

MnDOT partnered with Xcel Energy and Sawatch Labs to conduct an EV Suitability Assessment and Infrastructure Optimization analysis for a sub-set of the fleet. The assessment studied 100 light- and medium- duty vehicles and generated recommendations about cost-effective opportunities to replace internal combustion engine vehicles with EVs. The study also identified additional EV charging needs for current and planned fleet EVs. We also piloted an electric pick-up truck in 2022; outcomes of the pilot are still being finalized.

MnDOT achieved energy savings through building automation and heating and cooling equipment and lighting upgrades. Our energy use steeply declined in 2020 and 2021 as some staff worked remotely. In 2022, many employees returned to the office, so we expected much of the decline in energy use to be reversed. However, while energy use did increase somewhat from 2021 to 2022, it was still down 22% from the baseline year. We account for 8% of state government’s total energy consumption.

Most of the increase in energy use from 2021 to 2022 is attributed to the relative severity of the winter weather—natural gas and propane use increased while electricity use remained flat. Energy use in MnDOT buildings is very weather dependent, with cold and snow requiring more intensive use of truck station facilities. Adjusting for the winter severity, weather normalized energy use decreased slightly in 2022.

In 2022, we continued to implement energy efficiency projects, including building automation upgrades, HVAC equipment upgrades, lighting retrofits, and a solar photovoltaic array.

MnDOT values sustainability

Current Performance Data