The Climate Mayor’s EV Purchasing Collaborative is an initiative launched in 2018 by former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and other partners. Its aim is to assist local governments, schools, and universities in overcoming the challenges of fleet electrification. The Electrification Coalition (EC), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, provides technical support to this collaborative program.
The main goal of the Climate Mayor’s EV Purchasing Collaborative is to ensure that every vehicle being purchased by local governments and public entities is electric. To achieve this, the EC offers guidance, information, and support to these organizations as they transition their fleets to electric vehicles. The purchasing of electric vehicles, including school buses, garbage trucks, street sweepers, EV charging stations, and popular models like the Chevy Bolt and Nissan LEAF, can be facilitated through the purchasing platform Sourcewell.
There are several reasons why public fleets are an important leverage point in advancing electrification. First, fleet vehicles have predictable routes within cities or between facilities, making them ideal candidates for electric vehicles. They also have higher mileage, which increases the cost savings of using electric vehicles. Additionally, most fleet vehicles have a designated spot for charging, making the transition to electric more convenient.
In 2018, when the Climate Mayor’s EV Purchasing Collaborative was launched, there were barriers to market growth for electric vehicles. The collaborative saw an opportunity to showcase the benefits of EVs through public fleets, which consist of a wide range of vehicles, including sedans, pickup trucks, and courier vehicles. By introducing electric vehicles into these fleets, cities can demonstrate their sustainability priorities and provide real-world examples of EV usage.
One of the major challenges faced by municipalities interested in going electric was the lack of reliable access to EVs. The traditional procurement process, involving a lengthy bid process and multiple vendors, often delayed the acquisition of electric vehicles. To address this issue, the EC worked with Sourcewell and other procurement partners to establish pre-bid contracts, eliminating the need for the extensive procurement process and allowing cities to purchase the vehicles they desired more efficiently.
As the availability of electric fleet options continues to expand, the EV Purchasing Collaborative has grown its offerings to include electric school buses, electric street sweepers, charging infrastructure, and transit buses. With the introduction of utility vehicles like the F150 Lightning and the E-Transit from Ford, there are now even more options for fleets considering an electric transition.
The technical support provided by the EC ensures that organizations participating in the Climate Mayor’s EV Purchasing Collaborative have the necessary guidance and assistance throughout the procurement process. By streamlining the transition to electric fleets, this collaborative effort plays a vital role in accelerating the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and reducing dependence on oil.
Sources:
– Electrification Coalition (EC)
– Sourcewell
– FAS Series on Innovative Procurement