Politics & Government
E-Fleet Aims To Reduce City's Costs And Environmental Impact In Des Moines
For the first time in history, electric cars have joined the City of Des Moines vehicle fleet.
April 22, 2021
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Des Moines, Iowa — Thursday, April 22, 2021 — For the first time in history, electric cars have joined the City of Des Moines vehicle fleet. Four E-Fleet vehicles are currently on the streets and being used to help with neighborhood inspections. An additional 11 electric vehicles were recently approved for purchase by Des Moines City Council.
The transition to a greener vehicle fleet is intended to reduce the emissions generated by employees providing municipal services, as well as reduce fuel and maintenance costs.
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“Not only are we doing the environmentally sustainable thing, we are doing the fiscally responsible thing in the long term,” explained Councilmember Josh Mandelbaum. “These vehicles aren’t going in for an oil change. Over the lifetime of the vehicle, it’s going to cost less for the City, so we’re saving taxpayers money while transitioning to a greener future.”
As older vehicles in the City’s fleet fail and need to be replaced over time, electric vehicle technology will be evaluated to determine if it meets the needs of staff. Currently, only the Neighborhood Services Department is utilizing the E-Fleet, but additional applications of the technology are being considered.
“We’re starting to see pickup truck options in electric vehicles, so we’re looking at those options and evaluating them as more and more come onto the market,” said Councilmember Mandelbaum.
In addition to investing in vehicles, the City is expanding its EV charging infrastructure throughout its public parking system. Electric vehicle owners that visit downtown Des Moines are currently able to utilize Type 2 EV chargers at six of the City’s parking garages, with no additional cost beyond the standard rate of parking.
To locate a City-owned electric vehicle charging station, visit DSM.city/parking.
This press release was produced by the City of Des Moines. The views expressed here are the author’s own.