News Release

Release date: Aug. 23, 2001

King County cleans up air quality with purchase of new hybrid cars

A grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will allow King County to increase its commitment to clean air by purchasing hybrid cars for a popular car-sharing program. This purchase comes at the same time the county is increasing the number of low-emission hybrids within its own fleet of vehicles.

"King County has played an important role in this region in introducing ground-breaking transportation strategies that reduce traffic congestion as well as lessen greenhouse gas emissions," said County Executive Ron Sims. "This is another important step in that direction."

The county is using the newest hybrid vehicles -- which operate on electricity and gasoline -- on two fronts. Recently purchased Toyota Prius cars will increase the number of hybrid passenger vehicles in the county's fleet to 30. And, with the help of a grant from the EPA, King County will soon introduce hybrid vehicles to the county-supported car-sharing program.

"King County is unique in being the only public transportation agency in the United States to develop and support car sharing as a transportation choice," Sims said. "The hybrid demonstration combines low-emission vehicles with a program that already reduces miles driven. That can only increase the positive impacts of the car-sharing project."

The $150,000 grant from the EPA is part of a new national transportation partnership program. These are the first grants to be awarded under the Clear Air Transportation Communities program.

"King County is among the first 10 innovative grants recipients in the country for a reason," said Chuck Findley, acting EPA regional administrator.

"King County's track record of leadership in looking at hybrid vehicle technology as a way to help meet the area's daunting transportation challenge has earned this recognition and award," Findley said. "These grants are aimed at reducing emissions from transportation sources and enhancing energy efficiency. With King County as our partner, we know we'll get great mileage!"

Findley noted that transportation sources contribute about one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions nationwide and are one of the largest contributors of air pollution in the country.

Local air quality was a major concern for the county when it began exploring alternative fuels for its vehicles in 1993. At one time, King County had the largest fleet of police pursuit vehicles operating with compressed natural gas vehicles (CNG) in North America.

As those CNG vehicles aged, King County officials have looked to the latest technology to replace them. Windell Mitchell, the fleet manager for King County, said the hybrids that are now being purchased meet the county's goals to improve air quality, save fuel and cut operating costs.

"These vehicles are being purchased as part of Executive Sims' Earth Legacy Initiative and to reduce operating costs," Mitchell said. "The latest hybrids produce only 50 percent of the air pollutants emitted by cars of traditional design, and they get twice the gas mileage of ordinary vehicles."

Currently, King County has about 2,500 passenger vehicles in its fleet, including police cars. The additional hybrids are expected to arrive in October and will give King County one of the largest fleets of publicly owned hybrid vehicles in the region.

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