FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 2022

CONTACT:

Kaye Dyja

212-818-0580

kdyja@council.nyc.gov

City Council Members Keith Powers and Carlina Rivera, with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Introduced Legislation Mandating All Electric Vehicle Fleet in New York City

The legislation will require the city’s entire vehicle fleet is converted to zero emission vehicles by 2035

New York, NY – Today, City Council Members Keith Powers and Carlina Rivera, with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, introduced groundbreaking legislation moving New York City away from fossil fuels by requiring the city to only purchase zero emission vehicles starting in 2025 and transition its entire vehicle fleet to zero emission vehicles by 2035. This historic legislation will swiftly accelerate the city’s goal of electrifying its vehicle fleet of nearly 30,000 vehicles, setting a landmark precedent in municipalities nationwide. 

“For too long, New York City has lagged on the transition to electric vehicles, which are proven to significantly curb greenhouse gas emissions,” said Council Member Keith Powers. “This legislation will make New York City a bold leader on electrifying its vehicle fleet while delivering a sustainable, tangible climate solution that will have a real impact on our city’s carbon footprint.” 

“New York City must prioritize a transition to zero-emission vehicles for the municipal fleet. Transportation accounts for the second highest amount of the City’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet we continue to fall behind cities nationwide in our efforts to reduce transportation emissions,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera. “As the largest city in the nation – and the greatest in the world – we have a mandate to lead in converting our municipal fleet. This Municipal Zero-Emission Vehicles bill will get us there, and I am proud to join Majority Leader Powers in its introduction.”

“To be a city that fights climate change, we must walk the walk, and electrifying our municipal fleet shows our commitment 30,000 times over,” said Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine. “This legislation will transform New York’s carbon footprint and hopefully inspire other municipalities to invest in a zero-emission future.”

While previous administrations have pledged to transition the city’s vehicle fleet by 2040 and pushed it to 2035, the process has moved very slowly: currently, out of over 5,900 public New York City buses, only 15 run on electricity. This legislation, however, significantly speeds up that timeline by 10 years and creates the requirement to make the transition to electric vehicles a reality. 

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