LTC 316-2019 Hybrid Electric Vehicle Policy MIAMIBEACH
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
316-2019
NO. LTC# LETT .R TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members o the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: May 31, 2019 ff
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SUBJECT: Hybrid Electric Vehicle Policy
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to update you on the "greening" of the City's fleet
and to address your question regarding a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) policy. Although we don't
have an "official" hybrid policy, throughout my tenure, we have pursued a three-pronged
operating strategy to improve the operating efficiency and greening of the City's fleet. The
strategy encompasses vehicle standardization, right-sizing/down-sizing, and reducing the
vehicle replacement cycle through more timely investments in fuel efficient vehicles, including
HEVs.
We have made a conscious effort to right-size, where appropriate; from full/mid-size sedans to
mid-size/compact vehicles and to also invest in HEVs. As a result (excluding first-responder
vehicles), approximately 95% of staff sedans are the more fuel-efficient compacts and HEVs.
The recently completed Vehicle Utilization Study also supplemented on-going downsizing efforts
by identifying 18 vehicles that could be eliminated from the City's fleet, representing capital
savings of approximately $1,000,000 in avoided costs in future replacement cycles (per cycle),
as well as annual maintenance and repair costs of approximately $20,000.
HEVs are a proven, widely accepted technology and the 21 Ford HEVs (14 compact and seven
mid-size models) placed into service in 10 City departments, within the past three and a half
years, have logged nearly a half-million miles of reliable service, with operating costs over 40%
lower than that of comparable, mostly compact, gasoline models. The City's compact vehicle
fleet accounts for approximately 4% of the total gasoline consumed by the City's fleet.
Nevertheless, our greatest challenge in making significant strides in further greening our fleet,
has been the lack of options for Police patrol vehicles. The Police Department accounts for
approximately two-thirds of the City's gasoline consumption, with 316 patrol vehicles accounting
for 44% of the total gasoline consumed by the City's fleet.
Fortunately, the situation changed in June of 2018 when the Ford Motor Company announced
the introduction of a Police Utility Interceptor HEV, slated for release in 2019. This important
breakthrough provides us with the most cost-effective option to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. As a result, a pre-ordered 2020 HEV Interceptor (anticipated delivery in July) will be
placed into service for testing throughout the rest of 2019. The proposed 2020 vehicle
replacement budget includes funding for the replacement of nearly 60 police patrol vehicles with
HEVs.
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This week, ACM Taxis, Fleet Management Director Cano, and Police Department
representatives attended Ford Interceptor HEV test drive events for a first-hand look at this
innovative police vehicle that is projected to achieve in excess of 40% reduction in fuel
consumption and offers a number of safety features and enhancements, including a design
engineered to sustain a 75-mph rear-impact crash.
There will be significant savings as a result of the HEV's electric motor powering high electrical
loads, including lights, radios, computers, and the air-conditioning system while the vehicle is
parked (idling accounts for approximately 60% of City patrol vehicles' running time). Additional
savings will also be achieved in brake system maintenance and repair expenses due to a
regenerative braking system that uses the reverse spin of the electric motor to slow down the
vehicle, as well as from extended oil replacement cycles.
Key to significantly advance the greening of the City's Fleet will be securing adequate vehicle
replacement funding, which has been a challenge and contributed to an extended vehicle
replacement cycle during recent years. Failure to adequately fund vehicle replacements
according to recommended replacement cycles has been shown to cause several problems,
including higher maintenance and fuel costs, increased vehicle breakdowns, and a lower level
of fleet readiness that impacts the ability of City departments to effectively conduct operations
and deliver services. A Vehicle Replacement Study completed in 2018 by the Matrix Consulting
Group recommended a five-year funding plan to improve the replacement cycle.
Moving forward, our hybrid vehicle policy will be to, whenever possible, purchase HEVs, with
primary focus on replacing all gasoline patrol vehicles with HEVs by the end of Fiscal Year
2024. This transition, when fully implemented, is projected to conservatively generate
approximate annual reductions of 18% to the City's current total gasoline consumption, and 2.4-
million Lbs. of CO2 GHG emissions.
Our vehicle replacement policy will adjust in accordance with technology innovations in the
rapidly-evolving HEV and fully-electric vehicle industry. We will continue to implement the most
cost effective options to minimize GHG emissions.
The Fleet Management Department will continue to collaborate with the Environment and
Sustainability team by providing performance and fuel data used to calculate and track the
pounds of greenhouse gas emissions reduced by these investments and other metrics and
analysis in support of helping to further reduce the City's carbon footprint.
J LM/MT/JC
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