A new piece of legislation introduced in the U.S. Senate this week is aimed at transitioning the non-tactical fleet of the Department of Defense (DOD) to electric or other zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).

The Military Vehicle Fleet Electrification Act, introduced by U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Senator Mazie K. Hirono, and several other senators, would require at least 75% of all non-tactical vehicles, like cars, vans, and light-duty trucks, purchased or leased by DOD, or procured or leased by the General Services Agency (GSA), to be electric vehicles (EVs) or ZEVs. The bill, which is part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), would go into effect beginning with FY2023, or October 1, 2022.

In April, U.S. Rep. John Garamendi introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

According to Maui Now, DOD currently has more than 174,000 nontactical vehicles across all service branches, the second-largest federal fleet behind the U.S. Postal Service.

The legislation also reinforces the Buy American Act, which requires the United States government to purchase mostly products made within the U.S. It ensures that all electric components, including batteries, are sourced from the U.S. or allied countries.

The bill also authorizes DOD to reprogram up to $6 million on minor military construction projects to support EV charging infrastructure at military installations.

The "Build Back Better Act," passed by the U.S. House and stalled in the Senate, would probide $5 billion for GSA to convert the federal vehicle fleet to EVs, including non-tactical vehicles used by DOD.