As part of a decades-long commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the city of Aspen, Colo., is transitioning its fleet to electric and zero-emission vehicles.

In 2021, Aspen adopted ambitious, science-based targets that called for a 63% reduction in emissions by 2030 and a 100% reduction by 2050, compared to 2017 levels. The Fleet Zero Emissions Roadmap was approved by the city council in 2022 and is Aspen’s most up-to-date planning document. It outlines a path to achieve those goals through the introduction of zero-emission vehicles and equipment into the fleet by 2050.

According to Tim Karfs, sustainability programs administrator, previous electric vehicle planning documents include the 2017 Aspen EV Readiness and 2022 Public EV Charging Infrastructure Masterplan, which both signaled a need for greater numbers of EVs in the city fleet. However, those plans did not provide clear directions for staff to prioritize which vehicles should be replaced or how they would be charged. Before the Fleet Zero Emissions Roadmap, greenhouse gas reduction was not a standard for decision making in those internal processes.

“Moving city vehicles away from fossil fuels and towards electric and zero-emission alternatives is considered relatively low-hanging fruit and helps demonstrate Aspen’s climate values and set a strong precedent for electrification to the rest of the community,” he said.

GoEV City

On July 12, 2022, Aspen was named the state’s 11th GoEV City, part of a coalition of Colorado cities and counties committed to achieving the transition to 100% electric and zero-emission vehicles by 2050. The group shares best practices for electrification through networks established within GoEV City, and a pledge to transition their vehicles helps support efforts to communicate the sense of urgency behind reducing local tailpipe emissions to help offset the worst impacts of a global climate crisis.

With 17 electric vehicles and four plug-in electric hybrids in the city fleet as of July, the Aspen Police Department has paved the way as an early adopter of EVs. A third of its total fleet of administrative and patrol cars are now electric.

Karfs said that Aspen is a unique case study for fleet electrification because electric and zero-emission vehicle technology is tested to its limits in terms of elevation and inclement weather. The Fleet Zero Emissions Roadmap started a process of strategic restructuring to accommodate additional EVs, and as part of that effort introduced a standardized procurement form, called an EV decision-making matrix, in which every vehicle that is up for replacement is assessed for EV replacement, an analysis of chargers and buildings and identification of training needs.

“We’re not trying to replace a certain number of vehicles per year or a percentage of the fleet by a certain year. Instead, we’ve identified what the city can do in the next several years to plan for and implement increased electric and zero-emission vehicles usage,” Karfs said. “We just finished a five-month telematics pilot that involved vehicles and equipment across the city’s fleet to better understand how to introduce EVs, and that is going to help inform some EV charging infrastructure decisions looking ahead.”

Karfs said fleet fuel use decreased by about 3% in 2023 compared to 2019, which the city sees as a win. The transportation sector, and specifically the use of gasoline and diesel fuel, represents one of the largest sources of emissions in Aspen, both at the community and municipal level. Fleet vehicles and equipment are the second largest assets the city owns behind its buildings.

“These emissions are directly within the city’s span of control and represent one of the most direct opportunities for greenhouse gas reductions among city-owned assets,” he said.

Making the switch

Electric vehicles are one of the more noticeable indicators of a city’s efforts to reduce its emissions footprint. The Aspen Police Department has also created custom wraps on some of the electric vehicles in the fleet to draw further attention to the initiative. For communities looking to make the switch to an electric or zero-emission fleet, Karfs said it’s important to celebrate successes – not only to note incremental progress, but also as a way to share facts on total cost of operations and greenhouse gas reduction savings.

“It’s been a huge advantage of ours to have a city council that invested in the transition and has supported staff by approving strategic documents such as the Fleet Zero Emissions Roadmap,” he said. “The journey to a 100% electric and zero-emission municipal fleet needs buy-in from all levels, and making sure the benefits are understood by staff and city leadership alike is an important step.”

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