May 24, 2013

City of Hoover Fleet Boasts 200-Plus Flex Fuel Vehicles

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In 2006, our use of alternative fuels earned a visit from the president of the United States. Over the years, more than 100 representatives of local governments, fleets, and other organizations have come to Hoover to see how a progressive Southern city successfully uses alternative fuels.      

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Mayor Gary Ivey, City of Hoover, Alabama

In May 2003, the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition (ACFC, then known as Central Alabama Clean Cities) circulated a call for alternative fuel infrastructure proposals—the first time ACFC had participated in projects using funds from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program. In response, the City of Hoover submitted a proposal to install a 12,500-gallon E85 tank and dispenser at the city's Public Safety Center. It proposed using E85 in all its flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) in hopes of reducing emissions and improving the region's air quality. At the time, the city had a growing population of nearly 65,000 and nine FFVs in the municipal fleet.

Hoover's E85 infrastructure became operational in May 2004. By then, its FFV fleet had grown to 14, and the city anticipated having 137 FFVs by 2007. That was just the beginning. Hoover now has 212 FFVs, and since the project began, these city vehicles have traveled more than 20 million miles, using over 1.5 million gallons of E85. It has also adopted other alternative fuels, including B20 biodiesel, B100 biodiesel, and electricity. In all, 88% of the city's vehicles, serving the city's current population of more than 81,600, run on alternative fuels.

"In 2006, our use of alternative fuels earned a visit from the president of the United States. Over the years, more than 100 representatives of local governments, fleets, and other organizations have come to Hoover to see how a progressive Southern city successfully uses alternative fuels," said Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey.

In 2012, MotorWeek featured Hoover in a television segment that has run numerous times on the Speed channel and is available on the Clean Cities YouTube Channel. Officials from ACFC and Hoover have become go-to sources of alternative fuel information, and the city has participated in many speaking and educational events highlighting the benefits of alternative fuels and advanced vehicles. Hoover and ACFC continue to work together today; Hoover is a member of ACFC, and a city representative sits on ACFC's board of directors. "As the city's mayor, I am very pleased that this public-private relationship continues to be a win-win, with dividends for all," Ivey said.