Lompoc tables purchase of seven electric trucks to gather more data on weight, leasing and charging

The Lompoc City Council voted unanimously on Nov. 4 to table a proposed $473,003.93 purchase order for seven 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning electric trucks and asked staff to return with additional information comparing alternatives.

Staff said the purchase was presented to bring the city's fleet into compliance with state requirements, noting "we are out of compliance because we need to have half of the vehicles that were purchased in the past year" meet the weight/EV criteria (staff discussed an approximate 8,500-pound threshold used to classify eligible vehicles). City staff also said the city currently has two charging stations at the corporate yard and is planning how to rotate charging; staff used a Sourcewell competitively procured contract to move quickly.

Council members raised several questions: whether leasing could be used instead of purchasing, whether local vendors could be used under a bid process, whether other EV models (Chevrolet Silverado EV and others) meet the required weight/specs, and how much the city spends annually on gasoline (staff said fuel expenditures have exceeded $1 million in recent years). One councilmember asked that staff return with comparative weights, prices and a short bid analysis.

City staff agreed to return at the next meeting with the requested information. The motion to table passed 5-0.

What happens next: Staff will prepare a supplemental report with vehicle-weight specs, alternative vendors, lease-versus-buy analysis, estimated charging infrastructure needs and a life-cycle cost comparison of gasoline vs. electricity for the city fleet.