Council OKs purchase of up to 46 city vehicles; members ask staff for electric-vehicle analysis and cold-weather performance data

The Des Moines City Council on June 23 authorized the city manager to approve purchase of up to 46 vehicles for various departments for fiscal year 2025–26 as part of the city’s life-cycle fleet replacement process.

Councilmember Mandelbaum, who pulled the item to ask questions, said he supported adding more hybrid vehicles to the police fleet but would like additional information on the absence of electric vehicles in the purchase and on cold-weather performance. “I would like to know … when it's extremely cold, what's the use of the electric cars? Because I believe they have issues when it's extremely cold,” Mandelbaum said, asking staff to include that analysis in future briefings.

Staff told the council the purchase list includes several hybrids and some smaller vehicles as part of efficiency efforts; no fully electric pursuit vehicles were included in this batch. The council approved the authorization by voice vote, 7–0.

Councilmembers asked staff for a fuller report on the vehicle transition plan, including total-cost-of-ownership comparisons, operational range and cold-weather feasibility, and the scheduling of replacements. Staff agreed to prepare a broader update and to meet with council members and fleet managers for further review.

The authorization allows the city manager to proceed with purchases up to the approved maximum and directs staff to return with additional analysis on electrification and vehicle-sizing choices so the council can consider those factors in future procurement cycles.

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