When we think about accelerating electric vehicle (EV) adoption, passenger vehicles often come to mind. At Veloz, one of our goals is to help consumers learn more about the benefits of going electric, but consumers are just one part of the transportation electrification equation. Fleet electrification can quickly bring more EVs onto to the roadways, immediately improving the air Americans breathe and saving fleet operators money over time.
In the public sector, fleet electrification is an important tool to reach city, state and regional electrification goals in a world where the federal regulatory environment has shifted. Transitioning fleets to EVs is an action cities and states can take right now through proactive leadership.
One recent example comes from Veloz member, the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), in their provision of funding for the continued electrification of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) fleet. Using this funding, Caltrans — which has the second largest state Department of Transportation (DOT) fleets in the country with over 12,000 vehicles — procured 138 Rivian R1S electric SUVs and 315 Rivian R1T Trucks.
“With Governor Newsom’s support, California is leading the transition of its fleet from gas to zero-emission vehicles,” said California Transportation Secretary and Veloz Public Policy Board Member Toks Omishakin. “Expanding clean transportation options and strengthening charging infrastructure are central to our climate goals; and when our teams are in EVs, they set the example for all Californians to consider going electric.”
Caltrans has been going electric since the early days of EVs, including 56 Toyota Rav4s procured between 2000 and 2014, 399 Tesla Model 3s purchased in 2022, and 235 Volkswagen ID 4s and 600 Chevy Silverados procured in 2023. Following the delivery of the Rivian procurement in late 2025, zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) now make up an impressive 16.2% of the department’s fleet.
“Caltrans is committed to doing its part in achieving Governor Newsom’s ambitious climate goals,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy. “We are doing this by putting zero-emission vehicles on the road, cutting air pollution and showing that smart climate action is smart fiscal stewardship.”
Recent research from the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that today’s EVs produce 73% less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than gas vehicles, including production. That’s an impressive number for any individual driver making the switch to electric, but transitioning entire vehicle fleets leads to an exponential reduction in unhealthy emissions in a very short period of time, substantially helping state and local leaders meet their clean air goals.
Additionally, fleets will see even greater savings than an average consumer by going electric because the vehicles rack up more miles on a daily basis, and that savings — along with savings due to lower maintenance costs — is multiplied by the number of vehicles in the fleet.
Across the nation, we’re seeing cities and states take charge — through strategic leadership and funding appropriations — by electrifying their fleets. In New York, the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), which provides essential shared services to support city agency operations, consists of over 28,000 fleet units in 57 different agencies. As of mid-2025, DCAS is managing the largest EV fleet in the state totaling 5,400 EVs, and is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2035.
In January, one of Veloz’s newest members, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), awarded nearly $32 million in grants that will help the state drive toward its goal of transitioning 75% of medium-duty and 50% of heavy-duty vehicles to zero-emission by 2050. The NJDEP grants will fund 53 electric school buses and 41 fast chargers across the state, along with 26 additional projects installing public charging stations where EV drivers need them most.
As we continue to see the federal regulatory framework shift, convening likeminded leadership across state and local government agencies and private entities to make EV fleet electrification a priority is critical. Veloz maintains a strong record of collaborating across sectors to support policies and initiatives that advance EV adoption nationwide by leveraging its leadership, 35+ members, communications channels, and connections.
EV facts, case studies and industry best practices are highlighted here each month in my Ride to Zero Blog. Sign up here to get the latest news, invitations to events, and announcements on the road to electrified transportation. The way forward is electric!