Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and the Office of Sustainability presented five new electric vehicles this week, marking the launch of the city's electric vehicle program. 

The new vehicles will be deployed by the Atlanta Police Department's PATH Force Unit, the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, and the Department of Parks and Recreation for use on the Atlanta Beltline, a 22-mile network of parks, trails, and transit that aims to connect downtown with surrounding neighborhoods.

This program aligns with the city's plan to reduce vehicle emissions by 20% by 2020. Earlier this year, the city announced plans to deploy 50 electric vehicles through a pilot program. With this week's announcement, that goal has been raised to 60 electric vehicles along with charging infrastructure throughout the city. 

In March, the city also helped launch the Energy Secure Cities Coalition, a group of cities aiming to transition their municipal fleets from petroleum-fueled vehicles to vehicles powered by alternative fuels. 

Atlanta's city fleet will use electric models, such as the Nissan LEAF, as well as plug-in hybrid models such as the Chevrolet Volt and Ford Fusion Energi.