City Council has approved legislation that will deploy one of the largest municipal fleets of electric vehicles in the United States by the end of 2015. As part of Mayor Kasim Reed’s plan to make Atlanta one of the nation’s leading cities for sustainability, the plan will reduce the city’s use of fossil fuels and save taxpayers thousands of dollars per year.
A new electric vehicle charging station is located on Mitchell Street near Atlanta City Hall. It will be used to power the fleet of new cars, and open to the public.
“Replacing our current cars with clean-fueled vehicles, powered by cutting-edge technology, is a historic step for the City of Atlanta,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “The program is yet another example of how we are fully vested in making Atlanta a healthier and more prosperous city.”
Mayor Reed’s Office of Sustainability is spearheading the new vehicle fleet program; and, it is in direct alignment with Atlanta’s Power to Change Plan, which aims at reducing vehicle emissions by 20 percent by the year 2020. Atlanta is partnering up with Vision Fleet, a plug-in fleet company, to develop a cost-effective alternative to conventional vehicles.
“This project will have enormous impacts on fuel consumption and fleet service costs,” said Vision Fleet CEO Michael Brylawski. “For example, each of the 50 electric vehicles deployed will save at least 550-600 gallons of gas annually. In addition, fuel costs for the new electric vehicles will be about one-third of the old gas vehicles costs, and maintenance will be reduced by approximately 40 percent.”
Just a few years ago, one could count the number of electric cars available. Today, that has changed as there are more than 20 models across over a dozen different brands. These vehicles range in style, size, price point, and power train to meet the needs and wants of a variety of consumers. Electric vehicles are here to stay, and their availability will likely continue to grow as we move further into the future. Their battery-to-power motors offer a speedy-but-silent driving experience.
As cities like Atlanta embrace one of the latest forms of technology, an important question rises with concern to the safety and efficiency of electric cars. It’s no secret that electric cars cut down on the pollution that gasoline cars cause in our environment. Whether a driver deems electric cars better than gasoline cars depends mostly on preference, and what he or she is looking for in a vehicle. And, while many argue that these cars cut down on the chance of a fiery accident, there are documented cases where the batteries have combusted. Whether our society decides to fully embrace electric cars remains to be unknown; however, one thing’s for sure. These vehicles are a sign of things to come, and Atlanta is taking one step to prepare for the future.
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