INDIANAPOLIS -- The city of Indianapolis could be on the verge of ending a controversial $32 million contract for electric vehicles.
Sources close to the negotiations told RTV6 that the administration and Vision Fleet are in discussions about dissolving the four-year agreement, which was a longstanding point of contention between the Indianapolis City-County Council and former Mayor Greg Ballard.
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The discussions come after a recent audit found the contract with Vision Fleet "poses a risk to the city." The review found misrepresentations that call into question how much money the city is saving under the deal. Specifically, the audit found "misleading terms" about who is responsible for maintenance, vehicles that are "unsuitable" for use and an inability for the city to independently verify billed costs.
In a statement, a Vision Fleet spokeswoman confirmed the company is evaluating whether to continue working with the city moving forward.
She says the company was enthusiastic about the partnership – one in which, she said, the city would serve as a national model for accelerating the transition to electric mobility.
A spokeswoman for Mayor Joe Hogsett declined to comment on the discussions, other than to confirm the two parties are engaged in "very productive conversations" about how best to fit the program to current fleet needs.
