At Wednesday’s meeting of Board of County Commissioners, Commissioners Natalie Milian Orbis and Roberto J. Gonzalez advanced a joint resolution directing the County Mayor to deliver a comprehensive performance and cost report on the County’s electric vehicle fleet within 30 days.
The resolution requires a data-driven evaluation of electric vehicles and battery-electric buses already purchased by the County, focusing on real-world performance, reliability, lifecycle costs, and operational impacts. It also directs the administration to present a plan for the disposition of vehicles, batteries, and charging infrastructure once they reach the end of their useful life.
“Before spending public money on electric vehicles or anything, I want to make sure it makes sense for taxpayers,” said Commissioner Milian Orbis. “With gas prices coming down, major manufacturers like Ford and GM scaling back EV investments, and federal EV incentives ending, this is the time to review the facts, measure real world performance, and make decisions that serve the long term interests of Miami Dade County.”
“It’s important that we understand whether the County’s investment in electric vehicles is paying off and whether taxpayers are gaining the ultimate benefits,” said Commissioner Gonzalez.
The report is required to include utilization rates, vehicles currently out of service and the reasons why, maintenance and repair challenges, long-term fiscal impacts, and a breakdown of costs by vehicle and manufacturer. Recent public reporting raised concerns about low utilization of some battery-electric buses, underscoring the need for stronger oversight.
— Commissioner Natalie Milian Orbis
Miami-Dade County, District 6