The US General Services Administration will double the federal hybrid fleet this year and has committed to purchasing approximately 100 plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2011.
These steps are part of a broad effort to implement the Executive Order signed by President Obama in October, which calls on agencies to cut the federal government’s fleet petroleum use by 30% by 2020, among other goals.
Using existing funds, GSA will replace 5,603 of the least fuel efficient cars and trucks in the federal fleet with fuel efficient hybrids, doubling the number of hybrids in the federal fleet without increasing the total number of vehicles.
The resulting improvement in fleet fuel efficiency is expected to reduce petroleum consumption by the equivalent of an estimated 7.7 million gallons of gas, or 385,000 barrels of oil.
The Department of Energy is helping this initiative by replacing 753 vehicles with hybrids this year. This brings the total number of hybrid vehicles at the department to 888, even as the department begins to reduce the overall size of its vehicle fleet.
Nancy Sutley, chair of environmental quality at White House Council, said: “President Obama has called on the Federal Government to lead by example in sustainability and our efforts to build a clean energy economy.
“By doubling the hybrids in the Federal fleet, agencies are answering that call by reducing petroleum consumption and increasing fuel efficiency. These types of clean energy investments will help create new private-sector jobs, drive long-term savings, build market capacity, and foster innovation in clean energy industries.”
