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DCC to add electric vehicles to fleet
DCC to add electric vehicles to fleet
Dunedin (Friday, 13 May 2016) – Electric vehicles (EVs) are set to become a key part of the Dunedin City Council's car fleet.
Councillors this week supported a move that will see the DCC own 20 fully electric vehicles within five years.
Cr Kate Wilson, who put forward the motion, says staff figures show EVs, such as the Nissan Leaf, offer a 21c per km running cost over the life of the vehicle. This compares with 22c per km or more for similar sized fossil fuelled vehicles - even after a higher initial purchase price is taken into account.
"Infrastructure for EVs is now being put in place by both public and private groups throughout New Zealand, but further development will only be stymied if EV conversions are not supported. In fact not supporting it would be perverse when you consider how much renewable electricity New Zealand generates.
"This way the money generated from transport energy, and that which is saved, will be kept in New Zealand rather than going to multinational fossil fuel companies," she says.
"Adding electric cars to our fleet fits our Environment Strategy, it fits our Integrated Transport Strategy, it fits our Social Wellbeing Strategy and it also fits our Economic Development Strategy.
"This will also put us in a strong position given Government moves to increase the number of EVs on New Zealand roads."
Cr Wilson says electric vehicles are commonplace in other parts of the world. For example, 80% of the municipal vehicles in Copenhagen are electric.
As part of the move the DCC will also share information on EV usage and other data with the University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic to assist in their research on EV use, and be able to assist others considering converting to EV fleets.
The DCC vehicle purchases will be carried out within current operational budgets.
Currently the DCC's 113 vehicle fleet includes 48 cars, 20 of which are considered suitable for replacement with an EV. The DCC already owns two hybrid vehicles and an electric bike.
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