NYC Exceeds 4,000 Electric, Plug-In Vehicles

The New York City fleet has exceeded the 4,000 mark in electric and plug-in fleet units, announced Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock on Sept. 23. The goal was achieved three years earlier than the target date, which was reported in the NYC Clean Fleet Plan.  

The milestone was led by the introduction of 214 Ford Mach Es, mostly for law enforcement roles, and the expansion of the GM Bolt fleet to 843 units in total when all are fully in use. The city also increased its fleet of Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid units (PHEV), especially at the Department of Sanitation, and has added off-road electric units including electric forklifts, electric gators, and solar light towers. 

Currently, 52% of the city’s electric fleet are all-electric battery electric vehicles (BEV) and 48% are plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), which are electric vehicles with backup gas or diesel engines. The most recent investment was focused on BEVs, which were 80% of the orders.

DCAS is also completing its largest medium-duty vehicle purchase with more than 300 all-electric Ford E-Transit Cargo vans. DCAS also has one all-electric Ford Lightning Pickup on order and next month will have its first long-term requirements contract for electric pickups.

 The city is also procuring initial orders of electric garbage trucks, sweepers, correction buses, and working on contracts for box trucks and other vehicle types.

To support the city's goal to be an all-electric fleet, with most units to be plug-in by 2035, DCAS has installed New York state’s largest charging network at 1,287 ports and growing.