NYC and LA Team Up to Buy 25,000 Electric Vehicles

New York City and Los Angeles County just formed the country's most powerful alliance for electric vehicles, and it could change how America's cities go green.

The two governments announced Thursday they're teaming up to push automakers to build more electric options for city fleets. Together, they need to electrify about 25,000 vehicles, from garbage trucks to school buses to snowplows.

New York already operates 5,800 fully electric vehicles plus 4,700 hybrids across its departments. Parks pickups, police SUVs, paramedic vehicles, and even massive garbage trucks are making the switch. The city must convert its entire light and medium-duty fleet to batteries by 2035 and heavy trucks by 2038.

Los Angeles County has further to go, with 600 electric vehicles and 350 plug-ins out of a 20,000-vehicle fleet. Their deadline is 2045, giving them more time but creating even more urgency to start scaling up now.

The problem? Automakers don't make electric versions of many vehicles cities desperately need. There are no electric passenger vans that meet city specs, no fire department pumper trucks, and no snowplows that can handle New York winters.

"This partnership is really about having the market understand where we're going so they can actually supply us," says Quintin Haynes, who handles vehicle purchasing for 40 Los Angeles County agencies.

The timing matters more than ever as federal support for EVs evaporates under the Trump administration. By banding together, the cities hope their guaranteed future orders will give manufacturers the stability to keep investing in electric technology.

The Ripple Effect

Cities make perfect testing grounds for electric vehicles. Unlike anxious regular buyers worried about range, governments know exactly how their vehicles get used and can control charging schedules. Current EVs with 250 to 400 miles per charge fit their needs perfectly.

The financial benefits are already showing up. "I regret every electric and hybrid vehicle we haven't bought yet," says Keith Kerman, New York's chief fleet officer. "It would've shielded us from the doubling of fuel costs we're now enduring."

New York's data shows switching to battery electrics improves the city's vehicle energy economy by 6 percent. Private companies like Amazon are making similar bets, and they wouldn't do it if the numbers didn't work.

The partnership will also help both governments share lessons learned about training maintenance workers and getting employees excited about the switch. Worker enthusiasm can make or break EV deployments, even when cities face identical technical challenges.

Both governments say other cities are already watching closely and may follow their lead. What starts as a bicoastal bridge could become a nationwide movement proving that electric government fleets aren't just possible but profitable.