COVINGTON, KY – The City of Covington is taking a strategic step toward modernizing its vehicle fleet by launching a pilot program focused on electric and hybrid vehicles. The initiative aims to reduce long-term costs while lowering the City’s carbon footprint.
The City’s pilot program will include a mix of hybrid and fully electric vehicles across multiple departments. For the Covington Police Department, the City will deploy two 2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE sedans and seven Tesla Model Y Premium AWD SUVs, all of which will be upfitted for police use.
The pilot program will also include two Chevy Silverado EV LT trucks for use by the Covington Fire Department, and four Chevy Equinox EV FWD SUVs for use by the City’s Code Enforcement Division.
In total, the pilot includes 15 electric and hybrid vehicles, representing 7% of the City’s fleet of 213 vehicles.
“This is not about converting the entire fleet overnight; this is about making smart, informed decisions when vehicles are already scheduled to be replaced, and asking whether electric options can help us save money while still meeting the needs of our departments,” Mayor Ron Washington said. “We’re committed to being responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars while also building a more sustainable future for Covington.”
The pilot program stems from an analysis conducted by Dr. Todd Sink, the City’s Manager of Analytics and Intelligence, in coordination with City departments and the Fleet Manager. The analysis focused on the total cost of ownership of electric versus gasoline-powered vehicles, using real-world City data.
The findings point to meaningful potential savings.
Based on 2025 usage, the City could have saved approximately $23,000 in fuel and maintenance costs in just one year by using electric alternatives for vehicles scheduled for replacement. Over an eight-year lifecycle, those savings are projected to total nearly $123,000.
These savings are driven largely by lower energy costs compared to gasoline and reduced maintenance needs due to fewer moving parts.
The City is currently scheduled to replace 15 vehicles in 2026 and 2027 as part of its normal fleet lifecycle. These vehicles—totaling nearly 1.5 million miles combined—are already planned for replacement through the budget process and are not additional purchases.
Rather than relying solely on projections, the City will use this pilot program to evaluate vehicle performance, reliability, charging needs, and overall operational fit under real-world conditions.
For a detailed breakdown of the analysis, please view Dr. Todd Sink’s full presentation to the Covington Board of Commissioners here.
Covington’s efforts align with regional trends. In nearby Newport, Kentucky, the city has already incorporated electric vehicles into its police department and is exploring additional expansion into other departments.
Covington has also made prior investments in electric vehicle infrastructure. Level 2 and Level 3 charging stations have been installed at key locations across the City, including the RiverCenter Garage, MidTown Garage, John R. Green Garage, Hotel Covington, and throughout Mainstrasse Village.
As the pilot program moves forward, the City will continue to monitor performance, costs, and operational outcomes to help guide future decisions about fleet modernization.