U.S. agencies buy more electric vehicles

WASHINGTON, May 25 (UPI) -- The U.S. General Services Administration said it launched a pilot program to increase the number of electric vehicles in its fleet.

The GSA said it was purchasing more than 100 electric vehicles for its pilot program in reaction to a memorandum from U.S. President Barack Obama.

Obama called on federal agencies to increase the number of alternative-fuel vehicles in the federal fleet by 2015.

"Under the president's fleet management directives, we will continue driving agencies toward the president's goals to reduce petroleum consumption and achieve 100 percent alternative fuel purchases by 2015, supporting the president's plan to put 1 million advanced vehicles on the road by that same date," GSA Administrator Martha Johnson said in a statement.

The GSA in 2010 increased the number of alternative vehicles in its fleet without adding to the total number of vehicles. This saved the government around 8 million gallons of gasoline, the administration said.