Photo: Cadillac
The UK is a good example of governments aware of the fact that EVs and PHEVs can bring extra value and low emissions for their fleets and some measures taken in London are proving that already. But on the other side of the pond things are also starting to look greener, as President Barack Obama wants federal agencies to buy more electric and hybrid cars.
The federal government has big ambitions as it intends to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2025 according to The White House. And in order for the plan to work, electric and plug-in hybrid models must be added to its 655,000-vehicle fleet.
President Barack Obama released an order that forces federal agencies to buy zero emission cars or PHEVs that account for at least 20% of new vehicles purchases until 2020. But that’s only the first stage.
In a second stage, those figures must rise to 50% by 2025, which means there’s a lot of work ahead for the US government. Why a lot of work? Well, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, of the overall state and local purchases secured by the government in the first 10 months of 2014, less than 0.33% were EVs and only 4% were plug-in hybrids.
We’ve done the math for you so here’s the situation: federal, state and local governments bought a total of 175,122 new cars in 2014, of which only 512 were electric and just 7,048 were PHEVs.
This is not the first time Barack Obama adopted a green initiative, since in 2009 the President of The United States issued a memorandum stating that all government light-duty vehicle purchases or leases should qualify as alternative fuel vehicles.
“I’m directing our departments and our agencies to make sure 100% of the vehicles they buy are fuel-efficient or clean energy cars and trucks by 2015. Not 50%, not 75% - 100% of our vehicles,” said Obama in April 2011.
President Barack Obama released an order that forces federal agencies to buy zero emission cars or PHEVs that account for at least 20% of new vehicles purchases until 2020. But that’s only the first stage.
In a second stage, those figures must rise to 50% by 2025, which means there’s a lot of work ahead for the US government. Why a lot of work? Well, according to the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, of the overall state and local purchases secured by the government in the first 10 months of 2014, less than 0.33% were EVs and only 4% were plug-in hybrids.
We’ve done the math for you so here’s the situation: federal, state and local governments bought a total of 175,122 new cars in 2014, of which only 512 were electric and just 7,048 were PHEVs.
This is not the first time Barack Obama adopted a green initiative, since in 2009 the President of The United States issued a memorandum stating that all government light-duty vehicle purchases or leases should qualify as alternative fuel vehicles.
“I’m directing our departments and our agencies to make sure 100% of the vehicles they buy are fuel-efficient or clean energy cars and trucks by 2015. Not 50%, not 75% - 100% of our vehicles,” said Obama in April 2011.
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