Northwest/Arctic Region Turns Over New Leaf

The Northwest/Arctic Region turned over a new leaf March 26 with the arrival of its electric vehicle – the Nissan Leaf – and installation of a new electric charging station.

The vehicle is part of the pilot program to incorporate electric vehicles and charging infrastructure into the federal government’s vehicle and building portfolios. A total of 116 plug-in electric vehicles are being leased to 20 agencies across the country including four to Joint Base Lewis-McChord. The 116 electric plug-in vehicles being deployed nationwide in the pilot are expected to annually save almost 29,000 gallons of gas, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 257 metric tons, and save taxpayers almost $116,000 in fuel costs.

The regional Leaf, welcomed with lots of fanfare including a ceremonial key and sounds of Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue,” will be part of the Public Building Service fleet, driven primarily by 15 pilot drivers for the next year. During that time they will provide continuous feedback on the cars performance and operations to the Fleet Management Program. This information will be invaluable to GSA customers as they determine if an electric vehicle is appropriate for their needs.

During the car unveiling celebration, the regional leadership team highlighted the FAS and PBS collaboration that was instrumental to ensuring that Region 10 is part of the pilot program and to the efficient delivery of the vehicle and the charging station.

“Adding this electric car into our fleet is an excellent example of the three strategic values we pride ourselves on in the Northwest/Arctic Region - operational excellence, collaboration, and innovation,” said Regional Administrator George Northcroft. Contact: Marcy Pallotta (253) 931-7678.