The City of Lethbridge has added some all-electric vehicles (EV) to the city fleet.
The staff at the Waste & Environment department have added a Polaris Ranger, which is a low-speed, non-road vehicle, and a Chevrolet Bolt. Both vehicles will be used for various purposes at the Waste & Recycling Centre.
The EV’s were purchased through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), a partnership with Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Government of Alberta, along with the Federal Government’s Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program.
“We are excited to participate in the reduction of tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions and help improve air quality within the airshed,” says Mandi Parker, general manager with Waste & Environment.
Along with these new EV’s, the city also purchased an EV Zamboni, which will be arriving soon, and the Recreation and Culture staff can complete their training.
These EV’s are purchased through the MCCAC which allows municipalities in the province with funding, or a rebate, for EV’s so they can start the transition for fleet vehicles for a more fuel-efficient option.
Along with funding, the MCCAC also provide technical assistance and education to municipalities, schools, and community organizations.
“Adding Electric Vehicles will reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, reduce or eliminate some of the maintenance requirements associated with internal combustion fuelled vehicles and allow the City to continue to reduce environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gas emissions,” says Rob Ulrich, general manager of Fleet Services.
The city has also installed 22 new EV charging stations earlier this year. These stations are located at Cavendish Farms Centre on the west side, the Park ’N’ Ride, City Hall, Henderson Lake Park and at the ENMAX Centre.
