Mayors of Cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle have released the nation's first multi-city request to the automotive industry to increase the production of electric vehicles and help in tackling fuel and maintenance costs and to fight against climate change.
Mayor Edwin M. Lee today joined Mayors Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Ted Wheeler of Portland, and Ed Murray of Seattle in challenging the nation’s automakers to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles in municipal fleets.
The Mayors today released a Request for Information (RFI) — the first step in a formal bidding process — to invite automakers to describe their plans for meeting a potentially record-breaking order of EVs.
The four cities could buy or lease up to 24,000 electric vehicles for their fleets, if automobile and truck manufacturers are able to meet the demand and provide appropriate pricing.
The RFI is the first effort of its kind to include municipalities from different states, demonstrating the purchasing power of local governments to transform the electric vehicle market.
By moving to electric vehicles, cities can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrease reliance on fossil fuels, and improve air quality while reducing fuel and maintenance costs by an estimated average of 37 percent.
Mayor Ed Lee said: “Electric vehicles are a key to improving air quality in our neighborhoods and lowering our city operating and maintenance costs.
“Our cities know we can’t fight climate change alone, and by banding together we can do our part to accelerate marketplace transformation and bring greater efficiencies that will benefit our taxpayers and impacted neighborhoods.”
Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said: “The urgency of climate change requires us to rapidly transition the transportation sector from fossil fuels to electricity and public fleets have a responsibility to lead by example. Seattle, and our partner cities along the West Coast, are ready to lead with the next generation of electric vehicles.
“The information we receive from the Electric Vehicle Request for Information will help us meet the goals of the new Drive Clean Seattle Fleet Executive Order, demonstrating our continued commitment to fleet electrification.”
Mayor Garcetti said: “Every community has the power to fight climate change, and we do not need to wait for any one person or government to show us the way.
“By acting together as cities, we can set an example for our neighbors, spur clean energy innovation, clean our air, and accelerate the inevitable transition to a low-carbon, opportunity-rich future for everyone.”
By demonstrating combined demand across municipal fleets, the RFI aims to improve pricing and needed specifications of existing pure battery EV models for cities.
It also aims to expand offerings of electric vehicle models beyond sedans, such as police pursuit vehicles, SUVs and small trucks, and medium or heavy duty equipment including delivery vans, trash trucks and transit buses.
The Mayors are all members of the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda (MNCAA). The other 51 MNCAA cities have been invited to participate in the RFI. Additional fleet numbers and demand for electric vehicles from these cities will be added as an appendix to the RFI in February.
Manufacturers interested in responding to the RFI can download it here or request it from [email protected]. Responses are due by March 1, 2017.
