Image Source: Climate Mayors
Earlier this month, nearly 350 mayors across the country, through the Climate Mayors Initiative, pledged their commitment to a bold new initiative aimed at significantly advancing the electrification of municipal fleets.
These Climate Mayors have committed to electrifying at least 50 percent of their municipal vehicle fleets by 2030. Additionally, they plan to increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) chargers by at least 500 percent, with a strong focus on equity. Specifically, at least 40 percent of the new charging infrastructure will be placed in disadvantaged communities, ensuring that the benefits of this transition are shared equitably and broadly.
This ambitious initiative is expected to bring between 80,000 to 100,000 new light and medium municipal EVs onto the roads. According to the group’s predictions, this shift could lead to nearly 1 million tons of CO2 emissions avoided over the lifetime of these vehicles. The potential environmental impact is substantial, underscoring the importance of the transition to a more sustainable and equitable transportation system.
The Climate Mayors initiative, founded in 2014, was established with the goal of mobilizing local leaders to demonstrate meaningful climate action within their communities. Since its inception, this bipartisan network has engaged over 750 U.S. mayors from 46 states, representing nearly 60 million Americans. The initiative has become a powerful platform for U.S. cities to showcase their commitment to climate progress through tangible actions and policies.
EVs have been a central focus of the group’s climate goals. In 2017, Climate Mayors issued a Request for Information to automakers and truck manufacturers about municipal fleet electrification. The responses showed that 112,000 vehicles across 30 cities, valued at over $10 billion, had the potential to be electrified. This finding sent a strong signal to manufacturers about the growing market demand for EVs.
An additional key EV strategy of Climate Mayors is the EV Pooled Purchasing Collaborative, launched in 2019. This initiative has been instrumental in helping cities electrify their fleets and develop plans for EV charging infrastructure. Since its launch, over 250 municipalities, counties, and other entities have committed to purchasing more than 4,000 EVs, further driving the market toward electrification.
With this latest commitment, Climate Mayors aims to further support local leaders by equipping cities with the policy, technical, and analytical resources needed to transition municipal fleets to EVs. These resources will be essential in helping cities achieve their electrification goals while ensuring that the shift to EVs is both effective and inclusive.
Full the group’s full press release and to check out what affiliates are saying, click here.
