Electric cars get go-ahead as county seeks to curb greenhouse gases

Supervisors are supporting the replacement of gas-powered vehicles with electric ones to reduce greenhouse gases emitted from the county government's fleet of cars, vans and light trucks.

"The time is ripe for this board to lead by example," said Supervisor Bob Huber, of Simi Valley, calling for the mega-employer to purchase electric and hybrid vehicles where it makes sense. "Let us move forward as quickly as we can."

Electric vehicles and electric hybrids make up only a tiny portion of the county government's fleet of 1,200 light-duty vehicles, defined as sedans, vans and pick-up trucks. But with state officials calling for steep rollbacks in emissions and replacement of fuel-burning cars to slow climate change, managers in the county General Services Agency unveiled a strategy Tuesday to transform the fleet where feasible. 

As a first step, they are focusing on the central motor pool, a small but heavily used group of vehicles employees check out from the large county government center in Ventura.

County adding 14 Chevrolet Bolts to fleet

The number of electric and electric hybrid vehicles would go from about a third of the 33 vehicles in the pool to a little more than 60% of 40 vehicles once 14 Chevrolet Bolt compact cars are added.

The vehicles should be added and the charging stations installed over the next six months, said Christopher Melton, who oversees county fleet services.

Supervisors approved using $146,668 in local property tax dollars to offset the cost of the vehicles and seven charging stations with double ports at the government complex. Rebates from the state and Southern California Edison are also expected to defray the costs.

In a potentially more sweeping move, supervisors set a host of policy directions at the request of Supervisor Steve Bennett. They supported using general fund tax dollars to cover the higher costs of electric vehicles if grant funding is not available, discouraged the purchase of gas-powered sedans while recognizing a small number may still need to be bought, conceptually supported installing chargers that the public and employees could use for their personal vehicles.

They also encouraged the replacement of vans, sport utility vehicles and light trucks with hybrids or electric vehicles where practical. 

About 40% of light-duty vehicles are assigned to public safety agencies. They did not get a broad exemption to the move to electric vehicles under the board's direction. But it's unlikely fuel-driven vehicles used to chase criminal suspects would be replaced by electric models under current technology and designs.

Bennett said the board would not be interfering with the authority of Sheriff Bill Ayub, who is an elected official, to manage the agency's vehicles.

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Infrastructure cited as 'stumbling block'

One obstacle is a policy that says the county will acquire cars powered with alternate technology if they are cost effective and meet performance requirements. Under Tuesday's direction from the board, that provision would be updated to provide flexibility for electric vehicles and hybrids. 

Electric cars cost less to maintain and operate, but are priced about a third higher than a comparable fuel-powered model, according to Melton's presentation. They also require a large investment for the charging stations and the construction work required to connect the facilities to electricity.

"It's the infrastructure that is the stumbling block," Melton told the board.

Melton said the county was trying to be proactive although the state is not yet forcing local governments to act.  "We are doing what we can to get ahead of it," he said in an interview.

Only three members of the public spoke, all in support.

Ojai resident Phil White, who also sits on the county Planning Commission, saw electric cars as the solution to both ozone-related air pollution and climate change caused by global warming. 

"I think they are a great step forward for the county to do its part," he told the board.

But a proponent said the county should be doing more at a time when the state has set a goal of getting 5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2030.

Ventura County's share of that in both the private and public sectors would total 100,000 vehicles, said Michael Chiacos, director of energy and climate programs for the Community Environmental Council. He estimated that there are probably about 10,000 such vehicles on the road now.

He later called the county purchase a "good modest step," but said the number should have been doubled to 30 cars.

Bennett said he believed the strategy presented to the board struck the right balance.

"You brought a common sense approach to us," he told General Services managers. 

Kathleen Wilson covers the Ventura County government, including the county health system, politics and social services. Reach her at kathleen.wilson@vcstar.com or 805-437-0271.