THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay will test drive adding an electric truck to the city’s fleet.
City council on Monday evening approved participation in a pilot program developed by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario to allow communities across the province the opportunity to test a plug-in hybrid electric half-ton truck for six months.
The organization is applying for funding through the provincial government’s Municipal GHG Challenge Fund and is expected to purchase 10 vehicles to be loaned to municipalities throughout Ontario. The objectives of the program are to test the vehicles within a municipal fleet, provide municipalities with hands-on experience with the trucks, collect province-wide data on the effectiveness of the vehicles and raise awareness about the trucks.
Doug Glena, the city’s manager of fleet services, said the cost to the city would be about $1,000 to cover insurance, licensing and basic maintenance during that six-month trial with that amount covered in the existing fleet services budget.
According to the report to council, the truck would operate first on battery power, with a range of between 40 to 60 kilometres, before switching to a backup gasoline engine. The truck will be fully equipped with head rack, hazard lights, bed liner, tool box and first aid kit.
Administration recommended attempting to procure the truck during a timeframe that would give the vehicle a true test of Northwestern Ontario conditions. The performance of the vehicle will be analyzed to determine the cost efficiency of both the fuel and maintenance of an electric fleet truck.
“We’re going to be doing an application process and applying for a winter period from January through July so we can get that for the trial in our harshest conditions and get good data,” Glena said.
Council was supportive of kicking the tires on an electric truck.
“I think the municipality, we’ve been a bit slow on the mark when it comes to changing our fleet up,” Coun. Andrew Foulds said. “I’m pleased we’re getting a truck for six months. It’s better than nothing.”
City director of asset management Gerry Broere said last year the city piloted propane fueled vehicles but found they were costing more than gasoline powered vehicles.
