An EO requires that all acquisitions of light-duty vehicles be zero-emission by the end of fiscal 2027. Image: photo-denver/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffThe GAO has said that agencies are moving forward with plans to carry out a Biden administration policy for transitioning the federal fleet toward zero emission vehicles, although they face considerations including the costs of installing the needed charging stations for electric vehicles and a lack of supply of the vehicles themselves.
A report noted that a late-2021 order requires that all acquisitions of light-duty vehicles be zero-emission by the end of fiscal 2027 and requires that of all vehicle acquisitions within eight years afterward. That will affect the needed replacement of some 380,000 vehicles over that time.
Agencies have begun to assess their fleets to determine where those zero-emission vehicles could meet their needs, although of the 45,000 vehicles acquired in fiscal 2022, only about 260 were considered zero-emission, it added. Officials of four agencies with key roles—DHS, EPA, DOT, and USDA—“said that, in the short-term, they plan to generally prioritize the acquisition of ZEVs to replace vehicles considered “low-hanging fruit” from those due for replacement.”
Meeting the targets long-term “is contingent on a number of factors, such as whether sufficient funding is available and mission-appropriate vehicles are available from vehicle manufacturers,” it added. Of 26 agency strategic plans it reviewed, 17 “reported that limited numbers of vehicles available from manufacturers was a challenge in meeting their targets.” That is especially the case with larger models of SUVs and pickup trucks, it said.
In addition, 10 of those plans reported concerns about the needed charging stations, including the electrical capacity needed at some sites, the average cost of $45,000-$50,000 each, and issues related to installing stations at leased sites.
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