The City of Pico Rivera is committed to doing its part to reduce pollution, conserve energy, and reduce its carbon footprint. The City’s current fleet has close to a dozen hybrid vehicles that are used for day to business through the City. Last month, the City purchased its first fully electric vehicle for daily City use, a 2023 Ford F150 Lightning.
In year’s past, the City has made efforts to integrate electric vehicles into its fleet. In the early 2000’s, the Parks and Recreation Department operated three GEM vehicles for department use within the Parks. However, the vehicles were for light duty use and not meant for use as a regular work truck. The recently purchased electric vehicle will now be a part of the Public Works fleet and will be used daily just like a regular Public Works vehicle. The F150 is built the same way as a heavy duty truck and is meant for use in such a way. The only difference is instead of filling up at the local gas station, Public Works staff will instead plug in the vehicle at the end of the working day.
The benefits of fully electric vehicles include lower emissions production, maintenance cost savings, improved fuel efficiency, and improved vehicle performance.
As the City shifts its focus to a safer and more sustainable approach for its fleet, more fully electric vehicles are looking to be purchased in the future by City management. As more electric vehicle inventory becomes available, the city will continue seeking to purchase these vehicles to achieve a more environmentally friendly future.
