How committed is the US government to electric? 9,500 EVs are on order this year
The US government aims to buy nearly 9,500 EVs this year, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). With the new update, exactly how committed is the government to going electric?
In December 2021, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to replace the entire US federal fleet with domestically-built electric vehicles.
This executive order calls for all light-duty vehicle purchases (sedans, smaller sport utility vehicles, and smaller pickup trucks) to be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) by the end of 2027. By 2035, all new vehicle purchases will need to be ZEVs.
The transition affects roughly 380,000 vehicles within the US fleet as they become due for replacement or upgrades.
Since the announcement, agencies have revealed several deals with various manufacturers, while most agencies have developed a fleet transition strategy. As of March 2023, 26 of the 30 agencies’ plans have been approved, representing over 99% of all affected vehicles within the federal fleet.
According to the latest GAO update, the US government is targeting to buy nearly 9,500 EVs this fiscal year while deploying an additional 8,500 charging ports.
How committed is the US government to EVs?
Last year, the US government said it had replaced or bought around 45,000 vehicles in fiscal 2021. Of those, only 260 were zero-emission.
The GAO found that agencies have taken, or plan to take, the first steps to adopt EVs, including an initial assessment and workforce training.
Following the assessments, the US government agencies set targets that amount to nearly 9,500 light-duty EVs in fiscal 2023, including SUVs, pickup trucks, and sedans.
Several agencies have already announced purchase agreements. For example, the US Forest Service is deploying Ford F-150 Lightning electric pickups to learn more about optimal fleet size and charging infrastructure.
The report found two key factors holding agencies back from adopting EVs. The first is limited vehicle availability. For example, the Department of Transportation (DOT) initially wanted to order 430 ZEVs in fiscal 2022, but their order was scaled back due to order cancelations from manufacturers.
Another contributing factor is limited vehicle selection. Many agencies are looking for larger SUVs or pickup models to complete various tasks. According to the GSA website, the Ford F-150 Lightning SSV is the only all-electric pickup with open availability.
However, several electric SUVs and vans are open, including the Ford Mustang Mach-E, Tesla Model Y, and Ford Transit.
While agencies wait for availability, many of them are prioritizing deploying charging infrastructure in preparation. The 26 approved plans include intentions to install 8,536 charging ports in fiscal 2023, 77% of which are level 2.
This government report did not include the US Postal Service (USPS), which – after years of saying it would adopt EVs – finally announced plans to buy 100% electric vehicles from 2026 after facing backlash over the lack of progress.
The plans ensure that 75% of new vehicle purchases will be electric over the next several years leading up to 2026. The USPS expects to acquire at least 66,000 EVs from defense contractor Oshkosh as it begins to transition over its fleet of over 220,000 vehicles.
In addition, the USPS said it would purchase 21,000 commercial off-the-shelf EVs to jumpstart the transition. The agency announced in February the first of those contracts, totaling 9,250 EVs, will go to Ford.
Electrek’s Take
With the US government aiming to buy 9,500 EVs this fiscal year, it only amounts to 2.5% of the roughly 380,000 vehicles that are due for an electric upgrade by 2028.
Even US auto buyers are transitioning to electric quicker than the government. According to the latest information from Cox Automotive, over 170,000 EVs were sold in the second quarter of 2023, accounting for 7.2% of the US auto market, up from 5.7% a year ago.
I understand supply constraints, but if the government wants to go all-electric by when they say they want to, they better get a move on.
Global research and analytics firm the ICF Climate Center predicts electrifying the entire US fleet would save $6 billion over 15 years – just another reason for the urgency.
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JackRabbit, the maker of pint-sized electric microbikes, is back with a new product designed to quickly recharge their batteries from pure, uncut photons mainlined into an e-bike directly from the sun. In true independent charging form, the Solar Charging Kit from JackRabbit keeps riders rolling even when there’s not a convenient AC outlet in sight.
Unveiled this week, the Solar Charging Kit consists of a single folding solar panel and a tiny voltage converter that is configured to output 42.0V, which is the exact voltage required by JackRabbit’s little e-bike batteries. There’s also an added USB-A and a USB-C charging port for powering other devices in addition to charging JackRabbit batteries.
“This Solar Charging Kit plugs directly into your bike,” explained the company, “letting you recharge without needing an outlet, but with a speed comparable to the charger that comes with the OG/OG2 (42V, 2A).”
That would mean the panel outputs around 80W of solar power, which the company says can recharge its batteries in just three hours. That fairly quick recharging speed is helped by the fact that JackRabbit’s batteries are a mere 151 Wh, or around a third of the size of most e-bike batteries.
If that sounds small, then you’re right – it is. But JackRabbit is all about going micro, offering barely 25 lb rideables that are easy to store and bring on adventures, even when they aren’t actually being ridden.
With small batteries that fit under the 160Wh limit for many airlines in the US, the batteries can be quickly charged and taken to the widest number of locations. And for riders that want to go further than a single 10-mile (16-km) battery will allow, extra batteries are small enough to fit a pants pocket. The company also offers much larger Rangebuster batteries, though they won’t pass by TSA and make it onto an airplane in your personal item.
It sounds like the Solar Chargking Kit should be able to charge up JackRabbit’s large RangeBuster batteries, though likely in more than three hours.
The $349 Solar Charging Kit is a bit pricier than building something similar yourself, but it’s also safer and more convenient than hacking together your own battery charger since it’s designed to work with JackRabbit’s batteries right out of the box.
Technically it’s only inteded for JackRabbit’s micro e-bikes (themselves technically seated scooters, even if they look and feel more like a typical bike), but it’d probably work for just about any 36V e-bike that requires 42.0V to charge.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen solar charging kits for electric bikes, and it’s a trend that is certainly appreciated by outdoors and camping enthusiasts, festival goers, or anyone who finds themself and their bike spending extended periods in the great, sunny outdoors.
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Solar generated 11% of EU electricity in 2024, overtaking coal which fell below 10% for the first time, according to the European Electricity Review published today by think tank Ember.
EU gas generation declined for the fifth year in a row, and total fossil generation fell to a historic low.
“Fossil fuels are losing their grip on EU energy,” said Dr Chris Rosslowe, senior analyst and lead author of the report. “At the start of the European Green Deal in 2019, few thought the EU’s energy transition could be where it is today; wind and solar are pushing coal to the margins and forcing gas into structural decline.”
The European Electricity Review published today by global energy think tank Ember provides the first comprehensive overview of the EU power system in 2024. It analyzes full-year electricity generation and demand data for 2024 in all EU-27 countries to understand the region’s progress in transitioning from fossil fuels to clean electricity.
Wind and solar continue their meteoric rise in the EU
The EU power sector is undergoing a deep transformation spurred on by the European Green Deal. Solar generation (11%) overtook coal (10%) for the first time in 2024, as wind (17%) generated more electricity than gas (16%) for the second year in a row.
Strong solar growth, combined with a recovery of hydropower, pushed the share of renewables to nearly half of EU power generation (47%). Fossil fuels generated 29% of the EU’s electricity in 2024. In 2019, before the Green Deal, fossil fuels provided 39% of EU electricity, while renewables provided 34%.
Solar is growing in every EU country and more than half now have either no coal power or a share below 5% in their power mix. Coal has fallen from being the EU’s third-largest power source in 2019 to the sixth-largest in 2024, bringing the end into sight for the dirtiest fossil fuel. EU gas generation also declined for the fifth year in a row (-6%) despite a very small rebound in power demand (+1%).
The EU is reaping the benefits of reduced fossil fuel dependency
The surge in wind and solar generation has reduced the EU’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and its exposure to volatile prices since the energy crisis. Ember’s analysis found that without new wind and solar capacity added over the last five years, the EU would have imported an additional 92 billion cubic meters of fossil gas and 55 million tonnes of coal, costing €59 billion.
“While the EU’s electricity transition has moved faster than anyone expected in the last five years, further progress cannot be taken for granted,” continued Rosslowe. “Delivery needs to be accelerated particularly in the wind sector, which has faced unique challenges and a widening delivery gap. Between now and 2030, annual wind additions need to more than double compared to 2024 levels. However, the achievements of the past five years should instil confidence that, with continued drive and commitment, challenges can be overcome and a more secure energy future be achieved.”
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe said: “This milestone is about more than just climate action; it is a cornerstone of European energy security and industrial competitiveness. Renewables are steadily pushing fossil fuels to the margins, with solar leading the way. We now need more flexibility to kick-in, making sure the energy system is adapting to new realities: more storage and more smart electrification in heating, transport and industries.”
Read more: China installed a record capacity of solar and wind in 2024 – in numbers
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