The City of Cranbrook has added its very first electric vehicle (EV) to the municipal fleet.
The new vehicle, aHyundai Kona, has a 415 kilometre range, as it replaces a a late-1990s full-size pickup truck used to support roads, parks and utility operations with the Public Works department, according to a press release.
“The acquisition of an electric vehicle is one of the many ongoing efforts that the City is making to reduce its carbon footprint and impact on our environment,” said Evan Berry, Energy Conservationist with the City of Cranbrook.
The new EV expects to annually prevent two tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and save the muncipality $600 per year in energy costs. The vehicle also qualified for $8,000 in rebates from provincal and federal government programs, and will further reduce costs by requiring less maintenance.
Additionally, the city will be installing a level-two charger at the Public Works yard on Cobham Ave. to offset a damaged EV charger at the Cranbrook Curling Club. The city has further plans to install a multi-vehicle charging station at public works to support a future fleet transition to electric vehicles.
The city touted it’s energy conservation measures in recent years, noting it has reduced carbon dioxide emissions from buildings by over 270 tons per year. Between 2014-2019, the city says it reduced building energy consumption by over 11 per cent, a taxpayer cost-savings that translates to over $250,000 in utility bills.
