Houston finds significant savings through clean transportation

Electric vehicles help save on annual costs

The City of Houston, Texas, has been using a fleet of 27 Nissan Leaf electric vehicles for some time and these vehicles are beginning to show their value in terms of fuel costs. Electric vehicles are becoming popular among consumers, but governments have also been showing an interest in clean transportation for economic reasons. Transportation is an integral part of society and that means that cities tend to pay a significant amount of money on purchasing and transporting fuel. Electric vehicles can help reduce these costs.

Houston saves $110,000 with the help of Nissan Leaf

According to city officials, electric vehicles are saving Houston approximately $110,000 a year in fuel costs. These savings come specifically from the 27 Nissan Leaf vehicles that are part of the city's official fleet. The Leaf has become something of a staple in clean transportation and is often heralded as one of the best electric vehicles currently available on the market. City officials note that one Leaf costs approximately $470 per year to operate, compared to the nearly $2,000 per year required to operate a more conventional vehicle.

Electric vehicles are relatively easy to maintain

Electric vehicles do not only cut down on fuel costs, of course. These vehicles are also relatively inexpensive to maintain. They require no oil changes, do not suffer from tube or valve corrosion like other vehicles do, and are not susceptible to transmission problems. The lithium-ion batteries that are used for electric vehicles can be replaced with relative ease, but the batteries themselves do tend to be somewhat expensive.

Support for clean transportation grows among governments

Clean transportation has managed to establish a strong following in the U.S., but the majority of the support behind this concept is coming from governments. States are beginning to embrace electric vehicles for public transportation purposes while the federal government invests heavily in the development of cleaner transportation technologies and a new fuel infrastructure. Consumers often express interest in electric vehicles, but these vehicles have yet to become mainstream.