Vancouver municipal vehicle fleet becomes greenest in Canada
Reducing greenhouse gases goal for Vancouver municipal vehicle fleet
With 13 new Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicles, Vancouver’s municipal vehicle fleet boasts of being the greenest in the country.
The City of Vancouver now has the greenest municipal vehicle fleet in Canada, with the addition of 13 new Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicles.
Mayor Gregor Robertson joined Canada Mitsubishi Motor Sales President and Chief Executive Officer Shin Fujioka and Vancouver Park Board Chair Sarah Blyth at the City Hall to unveil the first seven of the i-MiEVs. The remaining vehicles will be delivered by the end of the year.
“By introducing more electric vehicles into our fleet, the City is taking proactive steps to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in our daily operations,” said Robertson.
“The 13 new Mitsubishi i-MiEVs will ensure the City lowers its carbon footprint, saving taxpayers money on fuel and maintenance costs, while maintaining efficient service delivery across Vancouver.”
“The shift to a greener fleet supports the Park Board’s new strategic plan priority to be a leader in going green,” said Blyth. “The Board already has one electric car and will introduce more as older vehicles are retired from service. Our ‘green fleet’ also includes ice resurfacers and edgers, transport vehicles and lawn mowers all powered by batteries.”
11 of the i-MiEVs will be for City department use and two for Park Board use. The City’s electric vehicle fleet consists of the following:
- 16 i-MiEVs (three leased, 13 just purchased), with up to 17 more to be purchased in 2013
- One Nissan Leaf
- Two electric scooters
- Eight ice re-surfacers
- 23 utility vehicles
- Three lift units (fork and manual)
- Eight electric bikes
The City of Vancouver was the first in Canada to test-drive the i-MiEV, through a pilot project that started in 2009 and ran through the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
The purchase of the 13 i-MiEVs is expected to save the City $20,800 per year in fuel and maintenance costs, and reduce greenhouse gases by 29,000 kilograms per year.
The City currently has six electric vehicle charging stations, and will have at least 67 in place for use at home, work and on-the-go by the end of 2013 through a partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Province of BC and BC Hydro.
Category: Environment
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