In fiscal-year 2016, the average fuel economy of New York City's of light- and medium-duty non-emergency vehicle purchases averaged 55 mpg. This exceeded the city’s goals and was achieved through the addition of electric, hybrid, and other fuel-efficient vehicles, the city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) reported.

Through Local Law 38 of 2005, NYC Fleet has been required to purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicles for light- and medium-duty non-emergency units and to report on the manufacturer-listed fuel economy for these units, according to the NYC Fleet Newsletter. The Local Law 38 report provides a fleet equivalent of Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards at the federal level. These standards are under review nationally and currently call for new light- and medium-duty units to achieve 54.5 average mpg by 2025. The NYC fleet was able to exceed the 2025 CAFE goal in FY-16, ten years early.

The city purchased 999 light- and medium-duty non-emergency vehicles in FY-16 (police and fire departments are exempt from reporting).

DEP also reported on compliance with Local Law 73 of 2013, which requires both biodiesel use in the city fleet and also that, by Jan. 1, 2017, 90% of city on-road trucks use at least a 2007 federally compliant emissions system, referred to as a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Through a combination of new vehicle replacements and retrofits, NYC Fleet met that commitment.