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Hybrid vehicles are 5% of county's fleet
With 75 hybrid vehicles on the ground and an eye on new technology, Ventura County government is doing its part to keep the area green, officials said Tuesday.
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More from CarsIn an annual report on the purchase of hybrid vehicles, managers said the county has saved 20,000 gallons of fuel and reduced emissions by more than 194 tons.
Now the county is beginning to buy what are called Partial Zero Emission Vehicles, said Paul Grossgold, director of the General Services Agency.
Although the gas-fueled vehicles still emit carbon dioxide, they produce no evaporative emissions, he said. They also produce extremely low emissions of hydrocarbons and noxious emissions, two powerful contributors to smog, he said.
"When you talk about emissions, one aspect is climate change and greenhouse gases," he said. "On the other side, noxious emissions affect air quality and that's really a local issue. We feel pretty good about where we're going to keep the air cleaner in Ventura County."
Grossgold presented the annual report Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors. Five years ago, the board approved a policy that supported the purchase of hybrid vehicles for the county fleet if they were suitable and economical.
Hybrids now make up about 5 percent of the county's fleet of 1,300 vehicles.
Officials said they also are keeping an eye on new technology, including the use of biodiesel fuel and hybrid cars that can run for extended distances on batteries. County diesel vehicles have been using ultra-low sulphur diesel since July.
Supervisors Steve Bennett, John Flynn and Linda Parks all drive hybrids, as do a number of county managers, including County Executive Officer Johnny Johnston.
The hybrid effort began with just a couple of cars, but has now positioned county government to do its part in battling climate change, Johnston said.
"It now becomes part and parcel of being a green county," he said.
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