Many of the top federal agencies in the US will soon be running on hybrid power.
That’s after the US government’s General Services Administration (GSA) took delivery of more than 5,600 hybrid vehicles under lease agreements.
It’s not the first time that the GSA has bought hybrid vehicles as it has used the revenue from the sale of older vehicles the agencies exchanged last year to bring in 1,600 hybrid vehicles after receiving funds through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
Now it has brought in many new hybrids, the majority of which are Ford Fusion hybrids which cost around $11,214 more than the alternative “non-hybrid” 2010 Chrysler Avenger.
Speaking about the decision, Bill Toth, the GSA director of motor vehicle management, told the Federal times that he doesn’t know if hybrid purchasing numbers will continue at the same pace without a jump in capital because of the additional expense.
However, the Department of Energy still plans to switch to an all-hybrid fleet within three years. It is already leasing 753 hybrids from GSA this year including 334 Ford Fusions, 145 Ford Escape utility vehicles, one Honda Insight and 273 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up trucks.
In addition, GSA has made a commitment to buy 100 plug-in hybrid vehicles when they become available during the fiscal year 2011; and it is offering three electric vehicles on its schedule this year.
