President Joe Biden said he would move swiftly to convert the sprawling U.S. government fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles. But efforts to eliminate gas-powered vehicles from the fleet have lagged.
Biden last year directed the U.S. government to purchase only American-made, zero-emission passenger cars by 2027 and electric versions of other vehicles by 2035.
Then there is the U.S. Postal Service, which owns the remaining one-third of the federal fleet. After initially balking and facing lawsuits, the agency now says that half of its initial purchase of 50,000 next-generation vehicles will be powered by electricity. The first set of postal vehicles will hit delivery routes late next year.
“The future is electric, and the federal government has built a strong foundation ... that’s going to deliver on this journey we’re on over the next decade,″ he said in an interview. Christina S. Kingsland, who directs the business management division for the federal fleet at GSA, said “the federal fleet is a working fleet.”
While Biden's bipartisan infrastructure law provides $7.5 billion to states to build out an EV charging network of up to 500,000 chargers over several years along interstate highways, no money from that law was earmarked for federal agencies' specialized needs. Money for charging stations must be allocated in each department's budget.
The White House has declined to set a specific goal for EV purchases in 2023, but Mayock said he expects the number to be higher than 13%.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
President Biden, first lady to visit Florida and Puerto Rico to assess hurricane damagePresident Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to Puerto Rico and Florida this week to survey the widespread destruction caused by hurricanes Fiona and Ian.
Read more »
Biden pledge to make federal fleet electric faces slow startPresident Joe Biden, a self-described “car guy,″ often promises to lead by example on climate change by moving swiftly to convert the sprawling U.S. government fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles.
Read more »
Biden to visit Florida and Puerto Rico to view Hurricane Ian devastationPresident Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to devastated areas this week as the United States reels from the death, dangerous floods and destruction left in Hurricane Ian's wake.
Read more »
Biden pledge to make federal fleet electric faces slow startPresident Joe Biden, a self-described “car guy,″ often promises to lead by example on climate change by moving swiftly to convert the sprawling U.S. government fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles.
Read more »
Justice Jackson makes Supreme Court debut in brief ceremonyPresident Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses attended the invitation-only ceremonial investiture for Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.
Read more »
Biden pledge to make federal fleet electric faces slow startPresident Joe Biden often promises to lead by example by moving quickly to convert the U.S. government fleet to zero-emission electric vehicles
Read more »