The City of Richmond just added two "fully electric" cargo vans to its fleet, replacing two 20-year-old gas-powered vans.
The new 2022 Ford E-Transit cargo vans are the first of their kind in the city's fleet, and require no gas and "little to no maintenance."
This addition is a part of the city's latest electric vehicle (EV) initiatives to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It is also part of its commitment to the West Coast Electric Fleets Pledge to replace at least 10 per cent of annual replacements for city fleets with zero-emission vehicles.
The new cargo vans are cheaper to own compared to gas-powered vans and maintenance costs can be 40 per cent lower than a gas-powered counterpart over eight years or 160,000 kilometres, a manufacturer told the city.
These new vans are 266 horsepower vehicles with a 67kWh battery and have an estimated range of 200 kilometres with zero tailpipe emissions. They have more cargo space as batteries are mounted beneath the floor, which is ideal for "engineering inspectors, utility installations and bylaw enforcement" for construction, according to the city's release.
And just last month, a solar-powered EV charger was installed in Steveston's Garry Point Park. It is a Level 2 charger and has additional electrical plugs for E-bikes, E-scooters and any devices using 110 Volt output. It is currently free to use while staff assesses its performance. Information on EV charging stations in Richmond, including their whereabouts, can be found here.
“Council remains committed to exploring new sustainable technologies and these are just two examples of how Richmond is leading the way in the area of climate action,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie.
“The City is continually looking for innovative ways to encourage electric vehicle use and provide the low-impact charging options necessary to support them as EV demand increases.”
Richmond is the only municipality to receive a platinum rating from the national E3 Fleet program for its sustainable vehicle fleet management.
