Biden Orders All Federal Employees to Drive Electric Vehicles Worldwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a bid to drive forward a clean transportation future, the Biden-Harris Administration unveiled a series of fresh public and private commitments aimed at promoting access to electric vehicles (EVs), saving taxpayer funds, and combating the climate crisis.

The administration, in tandem with its climate leadership efforts, introduced new travel guidelines for federal employees, mandating the use of sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally.

These commitments are designed to bolster cost-effective actions in clean transportation, potentially leading to savings for taxpayers. As part of the EV Acceleration Challenge under the Biden-Harris Administration, the State of California, along with various companies and nonprofits, disclosed plans to expand EV fleets, enhance consumer education, and augment the availability of EV charging infrastructure.

President Biden's "Investing in America" agenda, a pivotal component of Bidenomics, aims to stimulate domestic manufacturing, fortify supply chains, bolster U.S. competitiveness, and foster the creation of well-paying jobs and healthier communities. Under Biden's stewardship, EV sales have tripled, while publicly accessible charging ports have surged by almost 70% since assuming office. Private entities have committed over $150 billion in investments in the EV and battery supply chain during this period. The country now boasts more than 166,000 public EV chargers, with sales of over 1 million EVs recorded this year, marking a new national record.

Federal Commitments to Drive Clean Transportation

As the largest employer in the nation wielding an annual business travel purchasing power of $2.8 billion, the Federal Government is spearheading a shift toward cleaner transportation options, including American-made electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. In 2022, federal employees undertook over 2.8 million flights, 2.3 million vehicle rentals, and 33,000 rail trips. These operational adjustments are envisioned to accelerate the transition to clean transportation, fostering job creation and healthier communities.

President Biden's Federal Sustainability Plan aims for net-zero emissions from overall Federal operations by 2050, encompassing a 65% emissions reduction by 2030. The newly issued travel guidelines for federal employees reinforce this objective by directing Federal agencies to prioritize sustainable transportation for official and local travel, both domestically and internationally. The directives include:

Prioritizing electric vehicle usage during travel: Federal employees will opt for EVs for official travel when the EV's cost matches or is lower than that of the most affordable comparable vehicle. Additionally, employees will choose cost-competitive EV options for taxis and ride-share platforms where available, curbing pollution, reducing costs, and addressing the climate crisis. Expanding rail travel: For trips under 250 miles, federal employees will favor rail travel when it's cost-effective and accessible, instead of using airplanes or vehicles. Increasing public transit use: Federal employees will turn to public transit (e.g., subway, bus, light rail) for local travel or upon arrival at the official travel destination. To facilitate swift and comprehensive implementation across government agencies, directives have been issued through an Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum and U.S. General Services Administration Travel Bulletin. Agencies have been given 120 days from today's announcement to report their plans and actions to OMB and the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regarding the execution of the policy and goals outlined in the OMB Memorandum.

By June 2024, the State of California will follow suit, issuing guidance to state employees, encouraging the use of Zero Emission Vehicle commercial rentals for official travel where available and operationally feasible.

Private Sector Commitments to Foster Clean Transportation

To expand sustainable travel options nationwide, the collaboration between the Federal government, the travel industry, major corporations, and state, local, and Tribal governments is imperative.

In alignment with President Biden's objective of achieving at least 50% electric vehicle sales by 2030, the Biden-Harris Administration has urged all stakeholders in the private and public sectors, including advocacy and community groups, through the EV Acceleration Challenge to dedicate resources and make independent commitments to bolster EVs in America.

Concurrently, following the administration's announcements, leading U.S. organizations from various sectors unveiled fresh commitments to shape America's clean transportation future. Notable commitments from President Biden's EV Acceleration Challenge include:

[Details of commitments made by various companies and organizations listed in the original press release...]

The EV Acceleration Challenge remains open for submissions on a rolling basis. The White House anticipates showcasing additional commitments in the coming months. Organizations interested in submitting commitments to the EV Acceleration Challenge can do so through this link.