County Executive Marc Elrich is attempting to make good on a campaign pledge of reducing the county’s carbon footprint by using a more environmentally friendly car on official business.
Elrich will drive a Chevy Bolt, an electric plug-in vehicle, when it is not necessary for his security detail to accompany him, a spokesman said.
The Bolt was delivered last month at a cost of $34,000, according to the spokesman Ohene Gyapong, He said Elrich will still ride in the SUV used by his predecessor, Ike Leggett, for trips in which a security detail is needed. Those trips include Elrich’s visits to Annapolis, Gyapong said.
Elrich said during his Dec. 3 inaugural address that he hoped to use an electric car similar to his personal vehicle, a Nissan Leaf.
Elrich would not be the first politician to use a hybrid vehicle. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio recently began using a Chevy Tahoe, his press office said.
Calvin Jones, the chief equipment manager with the county’s Department of General Services, said that Michigan State University conducts a study each fall of “pursuit rated” vehicles that would be most suitable for police officers.
“From that, the police agencies will order those particular vehicle types,” Jones said, noting that the county executive’s security detail is typically composed of police officers.
Cars best-suited for a security detail, Jones said, are typically four-wheel drive vehicles with oversized braking systems that can stop suddenly and travel off-road. The Bolt, he said, doesn’t meet those requirements, but Ford’s new model year 2020 hybrid SUV, set for release this summer, might.
“We’ve had some discussions about that,” Jones said.
Gyapong also said the new Ford was being considered as a possible car for Elrich next year.
“Anything we can do to reduce the carbon footprint, it’s something we would look at,” the spokesman said.
Gyapong said the county had charging equipment needed for hybrid vehicles prior to the purchase of the Bolt.
Dan Schere can be reached at Daniel.schere@moco360.media
