Baltimore Mayor Signs Bill to Transition City Fleet to Zero Emission

Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott signed a bill into law to help facilitate a transition to zero emissions vehicles for the city’s administrative fleet. Under the law, by 2030, all procurements for the city’s administrative fleet – comprised of light-duty, standard-occupancy vehicles, including sedans, small pickups, and SUVs – will be required to be zero emission vehicles, mostly likely all electric.

Following the 2022 announcement by Scott for 100% carbon neutrality by 2045, the city is also preparing to release a Climate Action Plan Update. The most recent city-wide greenhouse gas analysis shows transportation emissions are 23% of the city-wide greenhouse gas footprint. According to the city, "These light-duty electric vehicles are already readily available today, and reports by peer municipalities indicate there are significant long-term cost savings in having an all-electric administrative fleet due to lower fuel and operations costs."

A Hisotry of Piloting EVs Throughout Fleet Operations

Since the 2010s, Baltimore City has been piloting EVs throughout fleet operations, including as part of the Maryland Energy Administration’s Smart Energy Communities Program. Recently, a Ford Mach-E was delivered for the City Comptroller’s Office, an all-electric van and Grow Center were delivered to DPW delivered this past summer, and 19 more EV purchases are coming this year to the Department of General Services Fleet Division.

The law does create an exemption process if the technology doesn’t exist or vehicles are cost prohibitive, and also requires the Department of General Services to report annually on both the transition and the possibility for the Heavy-Duty fleet to move to zero emissions.