Kansas City Fire Department procures 45 electric vehicles
The Kansas City Fire Department has introduced a fleet of 45 electric vehicles. This includes 14 Ford Mustang Mach-E, 27 Chevrolet Bolt and four Ford F-150 Lightning.
The new electric vehicles have been assigned to the Administrative Chiefs in Management and the Risk Reduction Office, which includes Fire Inspectors. All of these models, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, and the Ford F-150 Lightning represent some of the most popular electric vehicles in the USA, also for civic services.
Ford has a plant in Kansas City, which has been working hard to meet demand for its electric vehicles, most particularly the F-150 Lightning. The American carmaker has had to revise its manufacturing targets upwards several times to account for the unexpected interest. Kansas City is also home to US American electric truck manufacturer Orange EV, which last year announced it will establish its new corporate headquarters and manufacturing operations in the Turner Logistics Center, an industrial park under construction in Kansas City.
The City of Kansas has said they evaluated the cost savings of switching to EVs and found that the estimated net savings over the useful life of each EV compared to the gasoline-powered counterparts is $14,000 per vehicle. The City noted that this represents an estimated savings of over $600k for these vehicles alone. The initiative at the city’s fire department is part of its goal to be carbon neutral by 2040, including transitioning its fleet of vehicles to BEVs by 2030.
“We are responsible for future generations to think and act sustainably. Transitioning to electric vehicles is one step in fulfilling this commitment,” said Interim Fire Chief Ross Grundyson. “KCFD’s transition to an electric fleet aligns with the city’s wider goals to promote green initiatives and serves as a model for other departments in the region.”
According to the City’s Office of Environmental Quality, the municipal fleet produces approximately 15% of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. That figure will presumably go down significantly as this new fleet of 45 electric vehicles goes into operation.
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