City of Powell River has added to its growing fleet of electric vehicles (EVs).
A media release from the city stated that the latest are two Ford E-Transit cargo vans that will replace two older internal combustion vehicles. In addition, one fully electric car has been purchased for general staff business.
“Our goal is to lead by example toward a cleaner transportation future in Powell River,” stated operations manager Rod Fraser. “By transitioning to EVs when we can, we help clear the air and significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Not only that, but the municipality also saves money. Using the full cost of the vehicle during its lifecycle, it’s less expensive to run certain small and light-duty vehicles rather than their traditional gasoline counterparts.”
The release stated that the city is investing $130,810 in the new EVs. A Powell River Community Forest fund grant of $79,000 provided the additional money needed for the purchase, in combination with the CleanBC go electric vehicle rebate, which provided up to $10,000 in rebates per vehicle.
In June 2018, the City of Powell River bought its first EV, a 2018 Ford Focus. The new car and vans will bring to six the number of electric vehicles the city has on the road, with two e-bicycles, two cars, two vans and one on the ice, a 2021 electric Zamboni, according to the release. The city’s fleet is used for service delivery, daily maintenance, projects and lifecycle planning of the community infrastructure.
“In keeping with city council’s green vehicles and equipment policy, we intend to grow the fleet into low-emission vehicles where it makes sense to do so,” stated Fraser. “Adding to our electric fleet will contribute to the city’s goal to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.”
.jpg;w=120;h=80;mode=crop)
