Fairfax County continually seeks opportunities to green the county fleet, reduce fossil fuel consumption and use alternative fuel vehicles that emit fewer greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollutants.
The Department of Vehicle Services (DVS) is responsible for providing a comprehensive fleet management program that incorporates environmental stewardship and sustainability. The county’s vehicle fleet now includes 273 hybrid-electric and 64 battery-electric vehicles, which accounts for 15 percent of the eligible fleet.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is committed to sustainability and green innovation by launching a battery-electric bus pilot program and transitioning its support vehicles to electric. Fairfax Connector currently has 12 battery-electric buses (BEBs) in services as part of the pilot program. The buses have fewer moving parts, require less maintenance and lower fuel costs when fully charged, and are quieter than traditional diesel or gasoline powered buses. Currently, there are four more BEBs in production, scheduled for delivery in 2025.
The county continues to be as aggressive as possible with the transition to EV or hybrid vehicles, however this transition is driven by several factors to include the number of vehicles up for replacement in any given year, the availability of an EV or hybrid platform for that vehicle, and the availability from the vendor to provide the vehicle due to supply chain issues and demand. It’s also important to note that the number of vehicles in the county fleet is fluid as vehicles are bought or sold throughout the year.