Location: Leesburg, VA
Fleet Type: Municipal Fleet
Narrative
Leesburg Sustainability Manager Deb Moran reached out to Virginia Clean Cities (VCC) for consultation on how to improve the Town’s fleet through electrification. VCC staff worked with her team and obtained data on their current fleet, provided alternative vehicle choices and analysis on maintenance costs.
The Town was looking to replace two of its gas-powered vehicles with more environmentally friendly options. Last December, the Town Council set in motion an electric vehicle pilot program encouraging hybrid and EV purchasing. They purchased two Level 2 charging stations in preparation of the vehicles and took steps to increase electrical capacity at the Town Hall parking garage.
“This is an important first step as we right size our fleet and find alternative fuel vehicles that allow staff to continue to provide a high level of service to our residents and minimize our impact on the environment,” said Deb Moran.
Additionally, the Town has added two hybrid vehicles to the fleet for this year: a Ford F-150 hybrid truck and a Ford Explorer hybrid SUV. These hybrid models offer the right mix of fuel savings and utility needed by various departments.
The Town fleet includes approximately 200 cars, vans, SUVs and trucks with almost 122,000 gallons of fuel used last year. Moran says the Town has plans to add more EVs and hybrids to the fleet as older gas-powered models age out.
Outputs & Outcomes
A Nissan Leaf S was purchased to replace the Leesburg Utilities Department’s older Ford Fusion, which was used for administrative trips. Then a Ford E-Transit van was bought for staff transportation use across the entirety of the Town’s departments. Both vehicles were eligible for EV tax credits, which significantly brought down the sticker price. The Town is just beginning their transition to electrification but the Town of Leesburg will be subjected to few harmful vehicle emissions
Best Practices & Lessons Learned
- Sustainability managers can focus attention on the benefits of electrification and drive the conversation and energy towards procurement.
- The new IRA tax incentives for local governments to purchase EVS will be a game changer for these fleets.
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