The City of Roanoke, Va., has purchased 11 battery-electric Nissan Leaf sedans for its fleet as part of a larger Vehicle Sharing Plan to reduce the number of needed replacement cars. With this program, the city anticipates savings through the elimination of underused assets, reduced expenses by purchasing late-model used electric vehicles, fuel and maintenance savings, and additional funds due to the surplus value of replaced cars.

To develop its Vehicle Sharing Plan, the city’s Fleet Management Division identified a number of low-use vehicles that were ready for replacement, re-assessed its normal replacement strategies, and employed data analysis of vehicle use patterns. These vehicles will be available for staff from many job functions to drive on an as-needed basis. Eventually, Fleet Management plans to purchase a total of 15 to 20 electric vehicles.

By purchasing the first 11 vehicles, the city is able to avoid about $150,000 in vehicle replacement costs, and anticipates savings of approximately 80% in energy and maintenance costs. The project is expected to pay for itself in just over a year.

*Visit Nissan at the Government Fleet  Expo & Conference in June in booth 115.