St. Louis City’s four newest 100% electric vehicles, with specially designed environmental messaging are now in use by the Department of Health, the city mail room, the Board of Public Service and the comptrollers office.
This is the early stage of a transition toward replacing the city’s older, “non-clean emissions vehicles.”
“Vehicle electrification plays such an important part in the city’s overall decarbonization effort and steadfast commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050,” said Catherine Werner, the city’s sustainability director.
The new vehicles have been paid for with a portion of the $423,000 the city was awarded through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Volkswagen Trust funds. There is not added cost to city taxpayers.
All city departments have been directed by the mayor’s office to prioritize the purchase of low and no emission vehicles over comparable gasoline-powered, internal combustion engine vehicles whenever cost effective.
Electronic vehicles have been associated with many health, environmental and financial benefits, including lower fuel, operating and maintenance costs, fewer greenhouse gasses and no tailpipe emissions that contribute to air pollution.
The city already has several electric vehicles in service at St. Louis Lambert Internal Airport and plans to purchase additional ones later this year.
