Fort Knox Adds First EV for Military Operations

Fort Knox, a U.S. Army installation based in Kentucky, is going green with the addition of fully-electric vehicles. 

New installation government vehicles will be ordered in the electric equivalent whenever available, according to Transportation Specialist and Post Fleet Manager Christina Cortez in a U.S. Army post. 

“As long as a vehicle is manufactured as electric, that’s what we’re ordering now,” Cortez said. 

Fort Knox received its first EV, a 2022 Ford E-Transit 350 EV van, on Sept. 29. More will be added with nine in total ordered by Cortez. New EVs being added include another cargo van, a sedan and a compact sedan. Six plug-in hybrid vehicles have also been ordered. Arrival dates are not yet available for the additional vehicles. 

Cortez, who keeps the installation stocked with needed vehicles, said the cargo van will get about 126 miles on a charge. With the additiona of EVs, charging stations are now planned installation.

“They just awarded the contract for the charging stations last week,” said Cortez. “I’m not sure exactly when they’ll start installation, but they’ll be going in soon.”

Two separate areas with EV charging stations are slated to be constructed on post. 

“The goal is to eventually be all electric,” Cortez said.