More Electric Vehicles added to City fleet

With the recent addition of several new all-Electric Vehicles (EV), the City of Lethbridge continues to make strides towards a more sustainable future.

Staff at the Waste & Environment have acquired a Polaris Ranger (low-speed, non-road vehicle), as well as a Chevrolet Bolt. The EVs will be used for a variety of purposes at the Waste & Recycling Centre.

The City of Lethbridge received support for the electric vehicle project through the Electric Vehicles for Municipalities (EVM) program, administered by the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), which is a partnership of Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta and the Government of Alberta, as well as the Federal Government’s Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) program.

The Polaris low-speed non-road vehicle cost $45,000, with $12,400 in rebate from MCCAC, while the Chevrolet Bolt cost $38,000, with $14,000 in rebate from the EVM program and $5,000 in rebate from iZEV. The EVM program is fully funded by the Government of Alberta.

“We are excited to participate in the reduction of tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions and help improve air quality within the airshed,” says Mandi Parker, Waste & Environment General Manager.

The City has also purchased an EV Zamboni at a cost of $187,500, with a $50,000 from the Government of Alberta, administered by the MCCAC.

With a focus on how a changing climate impacts Alberta, MCCAC provides funding, technical assistance and education to municipalities, schools and community organizations to help them lower energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience.

Through MCCAC, municipalities within Alberta were eligible to receive funding for multiple EVs to begin transitioning fleet vehicles towards more fuel-efficient options.

“Adding Electric Vehicles will reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, reduce or eliminate some of the maintenance requirements associated with internal combustion fueled vehicles and allow the City to continue to reduce environmental impacts associated with greenhouse gas emissions,” says Rob Ulrich, General Manager of Fleet Services.

MCCAC says that driving electric will:

• Reduce maintenance costs and downtime because the brakes last longer and there is no need for oil changes
• Drive more efficiently because of regenerative braking. EVs generate energy when you slow down, compared to a regular car that wastes energy when slowing down
• Create a healthier environment for everyone in the community because EVs do not produce tailpipe emissions into the air we breathe

Earlier this year, the City of Lethbridge installed 22 new EV charging stations at four strategic sites across the city. They are open to the public. More information is here.

Additionally, the Galt Museum & Archives and Fort Whoop-Up have an EV programming van in use. More background is here.