“When New Yorkers see cars, trucks, and vans with the ‘NYC’ logo on the side, they can rest assured that those vehicles are contributing to a greener city. We are already ahead of schedule in transitioning city vehicles away from fossil fuels, and this new grant will allow us to take nearly 1,000 fossil-fuel vehicles off our roads, helping us reduce carbon emissions, make our air cleaner, and save on fuel costs,“ Mayor Eric Adams announced Wednesday.
After receiving a $10.1 million Transportation Department grant, New York announced on Wednesday that it will replace more than 900 city-owned fossil-fuel powered vehicles with electric models and install 315 additional EV charging ports, per Reuters.
The new EVs are "laying the groundwork" for eventually transitioning all public service vehicles to fully electric.
The funds will be used to purchase 382 Chevrolet Bolts, 360 Ford E-Transit vans, and 150 Ford F-150 E-Lightning pickup trucks. The Department of Sanitation will also receive 25 plug-in US hybrid street sweepers.
The announcement is the latest by a US government agency to accelerate the transition from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles. New York City currently has over 4,000 government-owned electric vehicles and plans to have close to 20% of city vehicles be EVs by the end of the year.
Some of the grant money will also be used to build more charging stations. DCAS intends to add 600 charging stations to its existing 1,300 ports throughout the state over the next 18 months. 315 of the 600 ports will be purchased with grant funds.
New York City's air quality has improved in recent decades as the city and state have worked to reduce emissions from regional and local sources. Despite this progress, air pollution remains a major environmental health threat to citizens.
Concluding Remarks
In conclusion, the transition to electric vehicles is an essential step towards a more sustainable transportation system that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality and reduce dependency on fossil fuels.
The New York City government's announcement of funding for the purchase of electric vehicles and the construction of charging stations is a significant move in this direction. It shows a commitment to accelerating the transition to electric transportation.
However, it is essential to recognize that this transition will require a comprehensive and integrated approach. This includes not only the development of electric vehicle technology but also supportive policies, regulations, infrastructure, and a strong culture of sustainability.
It will require collaboration among governments, the private sector, and the public, to create the conditions necessary to support the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and achieve a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system.
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