One million miles driven and counting – that’s the status of the 113 long-range electric vehicles (EVs) in the state fleet managed by the Department of Enterprise Services. It is a milestone reached this month, just over two years after the state introduced long-range EVs into its fleet. Through an initiative in 2015, Governor Jay Inslee directed state agencies to make 20 percent of new passenger vehicle purchases electric by 2017. This year Inslee upped the ante to 50 percent by 2020.

“We’re celebrating one million reasons for going electric this month and this is just the start,” Inslee said. “Our EV Fleets Initiative is just one way we’re transforming state government and embracing clean cars, clean buildings and clean energy. We all benefit from procurement policies that are reducing carbon emissions, saving money, protecting public health and securing a healthier future for all Washingtonians.”

Since April of 2017, Washington state agencies have saved more than 42,000 gallons of fuel and reduced over 375 metric tons of carbon emissions by driving electric vehicles managed by DES.

“This is the first milestone of many more to come,” said DES Fleet Operations Manager George Carter III.

Carter’s team advises agencies who lease vehicles from DES to make the transition to EVs through education and experience. Some of the EVs in the state fleet are leased to agencies and some are used as daily rentals for official state business.

“Agency transportation managers were familiar with short-range EVs and the mileage limitations they had,” Carter said. “Our staff met with them and held ride-and-drive events so users could test drive the vehicles. The outreach really seemed to ease range anxiety amongst our customers.”

“Hitting the million mile mark with the long-range electric vehicles in our fleet demonstrates the commitment of state government employees and leaders to reducing carbon emissions in Washington,” said Charles Knutson, Electric Vehicle Policy Advisor to Governor Inslee. “With this momentum, it won’t be long before the majority of the state’s passenger vehicles will run on clean energy.”

For more information about EV’s in Washington state’s fleet, visit the DES Website.