AFVehicles

At the end of 2006, the City of Los Angeles vehicle fleet was surveyed by the Environmental Affairs Department. The City owns and maintains 2,455 alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). This total includes vehicles that use compressed and/or liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, electricity, or hydrogen, as one or more of the fuels. As part of the Los Angeles Clean Cities Program, the City is committed to increase its fleet of AFVs by 15% each year. As part of this commitment, in 2000, the City adopted the Clean Fuels Policy, providing more support to our operational departments in successfully obtaining approvals for such purchases. Since Los Angeles established the Policy, the entire City fleet has grown by an average of over 21% per year. At the end of 2006, the 2,455 vehicle fleet of AFVs included 1,809 light duty vehicles and 646 medium and heavy-duty vehicles. This total does not include the many bicycles used by city patrol officers instead of cars, but does include a growing number of cleaner burning, hybrid electric vehicles such as the Toyota Prius and the Honda Civic.

At the end of 2006, the City's 1,809 light duty AFVs were comprised of 619 compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, 92 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vehicles, 133 electricity (104 full function electric vehicles and 29 neighborhood electric vehicles or NEVs), and 9 hydrogen vehicles. There are 956 light duty hybrid (gasoline/electric) vehicles in use as well. Light duty AFVs are used by the General Services Department (GSD), Environmental Affairs Department (EAD), Department of Transportation (LADOT), Zoo Department, Department of Recreation and Parks (RAP), Department of Water and Power (LADWP), Harbor Department (Harbor), and Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA). The light duty AFVs are used for passenger transportation, patrols, and on the job transportation.

The City's fleet of medium to heavy-duty vehicles includes 76 CNG vehicles, 252 LNG/diesel dual fuel vehicles, 70 all LNG vehicles, 4 CNG/diesel vehicles, 228 LPG vehicles, 5 electric vehicles (EVs), and 11 hybrids that use electricity and either LPG, CNG, or gasoline. Medium to heavy duty vehicles include street sweepers, refuse collection trucks, roll off trucks, buses, and dump trucks. The GSD, Department of Public Works, LADWP, Harbor, LAWA, and the LADOT use these vehicles.

In February 2006, the Los Angeles World Airports took delivery of 5 DaimlerChrysler hydrogen fuel-cell powered Mercedes-Benz F-Cell vehicles, bringing the City's current total number of hydrogen fuel cell cars to 9. The new vehicles will be used for general transportation in the LAWA vehicle fleet. For more information on this, please read our April 2006 newsletter, page 11. Since 2003, the City's General Services Department has also been operating Honda FCXs. The Honda FCXs were the world’s first fuel cell car certified for commercial use. The initial use of these vehicles represents a big step forward in vehicle technologies utilized by the City of Los Angeles. The hydrogen fuel cell, is one of the most promising “clean” alternatives for fueling vehicles, as water vapor is the only exhaust. The vehicles are powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that produces electricity onboard the vehicle. A fuel cell functions by combining hydrogen (stored in a tank) with oxygen in the air to make electricity (and water as a by-product). The electricity is used to power the electric motor, which in turn propels the vehicle. The California Air Resources Board has certified these vehicles as Zero Emission Vehicles for everyday commercial use.


An Electric City Truck at Charging Station	Electric Chargers at LAX


LNG Sanitation Truck	CNG Street Sweeper


LNG Buses at LAX	A Honda FCX in Front of City Hall

The City of Los Angeles also has developed infrastructure to support its fleet of AFVs. At the end of 2006, the City had or has helped with the development of 18 locations that dispense CNG, LNG, LPG and hydrogen. Electrical charging stations exist throughout the metropolitan area, as described further below. A new LNG station is opening soon in South Los Angeles and, in 2005, the Harbor Area received a new LNG station. The City also is upgrading its maintenance facilities to accommodate the repair and routine maintenance of the growing alternative fuel fleet.

In the past, LADWP launched the most aggressive electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure program in the country. In partnership with 29 public agencies and private companies, the installation of over 175 EV charging stations occurred through the Quick Charge L.A. Program. Overseen by the EAD and the LADWP, the program utilized funding from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC), which works under state law to reduce motor vehicle emissions, to help both public and private organizations show their leadership in promoting environmentally friendly alternative transportation technologies. Quick Charge L.A. is the proud recipient of the 1998 South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Clean Air Award (Model Community Achievements category) and the 1997 Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (Environmental Partnerships category). By early 2000, the LADWP had established or upgraded nearly 400 public, work site and fleet charging stations at locations including event centers, shopping malls, university campuses and more. Over 175 chargers are located within the County of Los Angeles. These stations provide convenient, free charging for both consumer and fleet EV users. A list of available EV charging stations is linked via LADWP's GreenLA website.

For more information on EAD's Air Quality Division, click on the AQD homepage here, or to return to the Environmental Affairs Department's homepage, click EAD homepage.