Calif. City Doubles Electric Vehicle Fleet

The City of Chula Vista is doubling the size of its electric vehicle (EV) fleet with its decision to purchase 14 new battery-electric and 20 plug-in hybrid vehicles, the Times of San Diego reported.

The city will purchase the vehicles from the National Auto Fleet Group through a Sourcewell contract, and the city is entering into a two-year lease-purchase agreement for the EVs in order to benefit from federal EV tax credits. Fleet staff identified 34 vehicles that need immediate replacement and are eligible to be replaced with EVs, according to city council documents. Budgetary constraints from the recession led the city to keep the vehicles beyond their replacement criteria.

The new models include the Ford Fusion Energi, Mitsubishi Outlander, Chevrolet Bolt, and Chevrolet Bolt Cargo. They will replace aged vehicles including ranging from sedans to small trucks that are from model-years 2002 to 2010. The vehicles are being used by Construction Inspection, Fire Prevention, Police Investigations, and other departments.

The city expects a 61% reduction in fuel expenses for these vehicles as well as reduced maintenance costs.

The City’s Climate Action Plan has a goal that 40% of the entire fleet will be alternative fuel or electric by 2020. Currently the fleet is 28% alternative fuel/electric, and the new purchases will increase this to 31%.