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This post, part of a series we're running all about electric cars, was written by Jamie Page Deaton from HowStuffWorks.com.
For electric car manufacturers, it's an exciting proposition: The U.S. Government is asking for bids to supply the government's fleet of vehicles with 100 electric cars. Landing the contract could spur sales and prove to consumers that electric vehicles are practical enough for everyday use. After all, iconic cars like the Jeep started out doing government work. And, with all the driving federal workers do on the job, having electric cars in the government's fleet could cut emissions and save money. Sounds like a win.
But, dig a little deeper and the government's call for bids may not be the slam dunk electric car boosters are hoping for. The General Services Administration (GSA) is the federal office asking for the bids. The GSA oversees the fleet of government vehicles -- and that fleet includes over 650,000 vehicles. Getting 100 electric cars into the fleet is a nice idea, but those cars will really just be a drop in the proverbial bucket.
Even before the addition of 100 new electric cars, less than 2 percent of the government fleet is made up of hybrid or electric cars.
While the proposed purchase of the electric cars is mostly symbolic, it could be the start of the federal fleet turning red, white, blue and green. Fleets, particularly large fleets, operate on a cost-per-mile basis. That means that rather than looking solely at the purchase price of a new car, like your average consumer does, the GSA has to consider how much it will cost to drive one mile in each car in the fleet. Electric cars are much cheaper to operate than gasoline powered cars. Getting a full charge on some electric cars costs about the same as one gallon of gas -- only you can get about 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) on one full charge. That adds up to huge savings per mile driven. If the 100 electric cars the government is calling for pay off, they'll surely pave the way for larger orders.
For electric car makers, fleet orders help them ramp up production volume, which brings down costs. Those savings could be passed on to consumers, making electric cars more affordable overall. The government may only be looking to order 100 electric cars now, but it could be the start of larger orders, lower electric car costs and increased chances of the average Joe being able to get an electric car in his driveway.
