September 6, 2022
San Rafael City Council
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
RE: Fleet Purchases (Agenda Item 4.j)
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
Sustainable San Rafael agrees that it is imperative for the City to transition its fleet to electric vehicles as quickly as possible to meet City, County and State climate change initiatives, both reducing GHG emissions and improving local air quality. The current heat wave is a reminder to stay focused on taking the most impactful climate actions as speedily as we can, like switching from gas to electric vehicles.
We support the City’s purchase of two F-150 Lightning EVs and replacing marked patrol cars with hybrids unless EV models are available that meet the City’s needs. In addition to reducing emissions, the Lightning EV model offers resiliency due to its bidirectional battery that acts like a generator, a battery on wheels for charging electric equipment on the road and during power outages.
We urge you to consider zero emissions vehicles, like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, for the two unmarked patrol cars, as other Marin County cities have done. Doing so would allow these EV models to be tested for use as marked patrol cars in the future. We also request that future fleet purchases be
reviewed at the City’s quarterly CCAP workshops prior to City Council consideration, so that the public can fully understand departmental “operational needs” and charging infrastructure “challenges”. We understand that San Rafael’s new emergency center was designed with electrification in mind and is wired for EV charging.
With inventory shortages and delivery delays, if you find EV models that meet the City’s needs for unmarked cars, we suggest that you order them within your purchasing window, so that they can arrive in a timely fashion. We agree that transitioning to electric will likely reduce purchase cost, as well as significantly save on fuel and maintenance costs.
Current cost incentives for local government purchase of EVs should clearly be explored.
Not only would fleet electrification help the City and
taxpayers save time, money, and the planet, but the City would be acting as a role model for its residents as California transitions to zero emissions vehicles over the next 13 years.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William Carney, President
Linda Jackson, Vice President
Stuart Siegel, Secretary
Arlin Benavides
Greg Brockbank
Kay Karchevski
Kiki La Porta
Annika Osborn
Bob Spofford
415.302-0110
Thank you for your forward-thinking sustainability work.
Sincerely,
Annika Osborn,
SSR Emissions Reduction Task Force