In order to advance President Obama’s goal of having 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2015 the federal government has purchased the 116 plug-in electric vehicles for the federal fleet. 

 These 116 models include 101 Chevrolet Volts, 10 Nissan LEAFs, and five Think City EVs.  The vehicles will be leased to 20 different agencies including the Energy Department, the Treasury Department and the Navy, in 5 cities.  The cities are Detroit, Washington, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

By diversifying the government’s transportation fleet we complete a critical element in the long-term plan to invest in America’s growing clean energy economy.

The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which manages the fleet, will help install charging infrastructure in federal buildings in the five cities.  Last fall the GSA asked automakers to bid on supplying the first 100 EVs for federal purchase. Four criteria were applied in selecting the vehicles; including technical capability, management capability, past performance, and price.

According to the GSA the 116 EVs purchased will save 29,000 gallons of gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 257 metric tons, and save taxpayers $116,000 in fuel costs annually.

By 2015 all vehicles purchased by the government must have alternative fuels- including hybrid and electric vehicles, and those fueled by compressed natural gas or biofuel.  In the last year the GSA has doubled the federal hybrid fleet. 

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