Indianapolis Will Rent 425 Electric Vehicles

The City of Indianapolis will have the largest municipal fleet of electrified vehicles in the nation by the beginning of 2016. City employees are already driving around nearly two dozen electric vehicles and the number of electric cars in the fleet is about to grow drastically.

The city signed a $32 million, seven-year contract with Vision Fleet Capital Inc. The new electrified city vehicles have been dubbed the “Freedom Fleet.” Indianapolis is the company’s first customer and CEO Michael Brylawski said he plans to prove the model in Indy.

The deal is unique because the city is renting the vehicles with an option to buy them at the end of the contract. The contract covers the rent, fuel and maintenance.

According to the Department of Public Works each gas-powered car costs the taxpayer an estimated $9,000 annually, while a Freedom Fleet car is estimated to cost $7,400 annually.