The Detroit News reports The General Services Administration is set to increase the number of hybrid vehicles in the government’s fleet by 10,000. Doing so is estimated to save one million gallons of fuel per year through the lives of the machines. Currently, the GSA fleet boasts around 10,672 hybrids, and last fiscal year saw the agency purchase 919 of the vehicles. The GSA helps support other agencies, and in this case, it will cover the extra cost of opting for hybrid models over a standard internal combustion vehicle for any other agency that wishes to take part in the program.
The Interior Department will be the first to swap nearly a third of its fleet for the new hybrids, with Interior Secretary Sally Jewell saying the move is a good business decision “that will benefit not only our bottom line, but reduce our carbon emissions as well.” The move will swap some 300 gasoline and alternative fuel vehicles for hybrids. In 2011, President Barack Obama issued an order for federal agencies to stop using full-size sedans and SUVs unless absolutely necessary. Under that order, E85-capable machines were exempt even if they weren’t using the ethanol-heavy fuel.
