Vehicles

Green purchasing guidance for vehicles, including:
  • Cars
  • Trucks
  • Vans

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

  • RCW 43.19.637: Clean Fuel Vehicles—Purchasing Requirements states that at least 30% of all new vehicles purchased through a state contract shall be clean-fuel vehicles.
  • In addition, EO 20-01: State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) and EO 21-04 Zero Emission Vehicles, which provide updated guidance, direct state agencies to ensure that each lease or purchase of new vehicles shall prioritize the purchase of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) (or better emerging technology) and support the installation of associated charging infrastructure. For vehicle classes in which BEVs are not available, agencies shall prioritize the most cost-effective low-emission options available.
  • In January 2019, Governor Inslee announced that he was directing all state agencies “to purchase EVs in applicable vehicle categories unless they can prove that an EV option in the market place does not meet the operational needs of the agency” and that the Washington State Electric Vehicle Fleets Initiative set a new, more aggressive goal of “at least 50% of all new state passenger vehicle purchases are electric vehicles by 2020.” Note: Seek DES Fleet input when using. Read the EO 21-04 Zero Emission Vehicles for more information.

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

  • RCW 70A.230.060: Mercury-free Product Preference states, “The department of enterprise services must give priority and preference to the purchase of equipment, supplies, and other products that contain no mercury-added compounds or components, unless: (a) There is no economically feasible nonmercury-added alternative that performs a similar function… In circumstances where a nonmercury-added product is not available, preference must be given to the purchase of products that contain the least amount of mercury added to the product necessary for the required performance.” Accordingly, bidders that offer mercury-free or relatively low-mercury vehicles may be eligible for a price preference of at least 5%.

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington’s green purchasing specifications:

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

  • Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

Contact us

Leatta Dahlhoff

Environmental Technical Analyst