SANTA FE – New Mexico would add 28 electric vehicles to its fleet for state agencies under a budget request to legislators from the administration of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Adding the electric vehicles would cost about $1 million under a request from the General Services Department.
Agency Secretary Ken Ortiz on Tuesday urged a panel of legislators to include the spending in draft legislation. He says the transportation sector is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions after electricity production.
General Services is nearing completion of 30 charging stations at state campuses in Santa Fe as it modernizes the state motor pool and reduces carbon emissions.
Ortiz described progress on an energy-efficiency project at 30 buildings in Santa Fe. Solar electricity generating equipment has been added at 16 buildings so far, with work soon to begin on three large solar carports.
The completed project is expected to reap savings of $1.1 million on electricity costs, the General Services Department said in a statement.