ZEV AND HYBRID FIRST PURCHASING MANDATE - 4121.1
Legal Authority
Health and Safety Code section 38562.4
Definitions
Battery Electric Vehicle: A vehicle powered exclusively by electricity through a battery.
Bi/Flex-Fuel Vehicle: A vehicle equipped with an internal combustion engine capable of running on two different fuels.
Field Employee: Defined in SAM 4121.
Fleet Acquisition Plan: Defined in SAM 4120.
Fuel Cell Vehicle: A type of zero-emission vehicle that uses hydrogen gas in a fuel cell to generate electricity. The emission byproduct is water vapor.
Heavy-Duty: A vehicle or mobile equipment with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 16,001 pounds or greater.
Hybrid: A vehicle powered by both an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor. The battery is charged through regenerative braking, and the engine cannot be plugged in to charge the battery.
Policy
State agencies (Agencies) are required to prioritize the purchase of Zero-Emission Vehicles (ZEVs) and Hybrids over internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in all applicable vehicle categories where ZEV and Hybrid options are available through the state vehicle contract, and where it is programmatically feasible.
This ZEV and Hybrid first purchasing requirement is in addition to the annual Light-Duty ZEV purchasing requirements outlined in SAM 4121. Vehicles exempt from the SAM 4121 are not subject to this policy.
Agencies submitting a Fleet Acquisition Plan (FAP) to the Department of General Services, Office of Fleet and Asset Management (OFAM) for approval of new or replacement vehicles, as required by SAM 4120, must follow the vehicle selection priority guidelines outlined below.
Priority 1: Pure ZEVs, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell vehicles (FCVs)
Priority 2: Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV)
Priority 3: Hybrid
Priority 4: ICE vehicles, including bi-fuel and flex-fuel vehicles
Agencies must select the highest-priority vehicle available on the state vehicle contract unless OFAM approves a ZEV and Hybrid Priority Level Exemption.
Exemptions
Agencies seeking a priority level exemption must submit a formal exemption request to OFAM as part of their FAPs. Requests must follow the procedures and justification requirements outlined in the ZEV and Hybrid Priority Level Exemption Criteria published on the OFAM website. Future updates to the exemption criteria will be communicated through DGS Management Memos.
Responsibilities
OFAM
- Approve or deny ZEV and Hybrid First Purchasing Mandate Exemption requests in accordance with this policy
- Monitor the progress of ZEV adoption across the state fleet to ensure alignment with statewide sustainability goals
Agency
- Prioritize the acquisition of the highest priority vehicle available on the state vehicle contract.
- Submit exemption requests with all required narrative justifications and supporting data for each asset requested to be exempt from the ZEV and Hybrid First Purchasing Mandate
Resources
Subscribe to Management Memos:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/CADGS/subscriber/topics?qsp=CADGS_9
FAP Submissions or Questions:
FAMSSupport@dgs.ca.gov
Fleet Policy Questions:
FleetPolicy@dgs.ca.gov