LONG BEACH, CA – Future steps to make Long Beach a more environmentally-friendly city may include cars that are even more fuel efficient than traditional hybrids, according to the Web site www.gazettes.com. Known as Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (PHEVs), the cars reduce pollution emitted from the city’s fleet of cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other equipment. The City Council recently voted unanimously in favor of partnering with a national campaign to support the use of PHEVs. By signing on with the organization — known as Plug-In Partners — the city is agreeing to “strongly consider purchasing” the plug-in vehicles in an arrangement known as a soft order. It does not involve a financial commitment by the city. The city manager’s office will report back to the council after researching the process of acquiring the hybrid plug-ins. The city’s fleet of vehicles currently includes 271 alternate-fuel vehicles — with more on order. Many of those vehicles run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). There are a total of about 1,600 vehicles in the fleet. Each PHEV works off of a rechargeable battery pack sufficient to power it for 20 to 60 miles — and the car can double the mileage of a conventional vehicle. The battery can be recharged through a standard electrical socket. The idea behind the car’s design is to have a means of transportation that uses gasoline as a back-up power source, rather than as a primary source, according to www.gazettes.com. Other cities that have signed on with Plug-In Partners national campaign include Los Angeles, Burbank, Oakland, Boston, Chicago, and about 50 others. For more information about the campaign, visit www.PlugInPartners.com.