A proposal to add an electric car to the city's fleet is expected to go before city council next month.
City supply and fleet services manager Scott Bone said the proposal is for the city to acquire a Nissan Leaf electric car in partnership with Northern Health, the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George and UNBC. For the city, the proposal will be part of a larger strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution from the city's fleet.
"We'll have a cost-sharing agreement with the vehicle," Bone said. "We'll use it as a pool car for moving staff. It's going to give us an opportunity to monitor it's performance in winter."
The city has operated two gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles since 2009, but this would be the city's first 100 per cent electric vehicle.
The electric, emission-free vehicle will replace an existing passenger car in the city's fleet, he added. The proposal will call for the installation of a pair of 240-volt charging stations - one at City Hall and one at the city's Fifth Avenue parkade.
According to EPA testing, the Leaf has an optimal range of 222 km, but practical range of 100 to 169 km in city driving conditions.
The four partner agencies are taking part to determine if electric vehicles are a good fit for their organizational needs, Bone said.
In addition to the purchase of an electric car, city staff will be presenting proposals to convert five city vehicles from gasoline to propane, Bone said.
"It burns significantly cleaner than gasoline. Propane results in a 20 to 30 per cent reduction in emissions," he said. "And our payback ranges from one to three years."
Also proposed is a hydraulic-assist system for city garbage trucks which have shown a 15 per cent reduction in emissions and fuel consumption on vehicles in Montreal, he said.
The city currently operates approximately 400 vehicles and spends approximately $1 million per year on fuel.
The proposal is expected to go before city council in mid-to-late April, Bone said. Bone spoke about the program at an air-quality forum hosted by the Prince George Air Improvement Roundtable on Tuesday.
