A look at the two new additions to the City of North Battleford fleet. (submitted photo/City of North Battleford)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

New Hybrids

City of N.B. welcomes first two energy-efficient fleet vehicles

Sep 7, 2023 | 12:46 PM

The City of North Battleford has a pair of new fleet vehicles in operation this week, after city council approved the purchase of two new hybrids in an effort to cut down on fuel expenses.

Both 2023 Ford Escapes, one of the vehicles is a regular hybrid equipped with both gas and an electric battery, designated for city operations. The second is a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which will be used as a patrol vehicle for Community Safety Officers.

The PHEV has both gas and electric battery, which can be plugged in to expedite charging while also having a larger battery capacity, so it can travel faster and longer than a regular hybrid before switching to gas power.

The exterior and interior of the CSO Hybrid. (submitted photo/City of North Battleford)

Fleet and maintenance manager, Seton Winterholt said both vehicles are expected to save the city a significant amount of money over time.

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“Both of these units are replacing half-ton trucks, so we anticipate substantial savings on fuel costs, somewhere between 20 to 30 per cent,” Winterholt said; adding that there is also an added benefit in the reduction of emissions, with the hybrid units cutting back on emissions by approximately 40 to 50 per cent.

A release from the city states the new vehicles were purchased locally at Valley Ford after administration approached several local dealerships and received competitive pricing rates.

The two new compact Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) were part of the 2023 Capital Budget approved by City Council in late 2022. The CSO PHEV was purchased for $48,594 plus taxes, while the operations hybrid vehicle is on a 48-month lease with payments of $666.33 plus taxes per month. The city has the option to buy out the lease of the vehicle at the end of the term for a cost of $18,401.42 plus taxes.

A close-up look at the Hybrid that will be used for city operations. (submitted photo/City of North Battleford)

The City’s Fleet Services team anticipates both units will perform well in colder weather due to improvements in hybrid vehicle technology over the last number of years.

Fleet Services intends to monitor the fuel savings and emission reductions of these vehicles against other non-electric vehicles in the city’s fleet and will use this data to plan for future vehicle acquisitions to ensure the city is equipped with reliable, cost-effective units suitable for work in various departments.

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CJNBNews@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @battlefordsNOW