Municipal staff in Richmond County will look into the feasibility of adding electric and hybrid vehicles to the municipal fleet.
During last night’s regular monthly meeting of Richmond Municipal Council in Arichat, District 4 Councillor Amanda Mombourquette said the Town of Bridgewater made a presentation during the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Fall Conference at the end of November about their decision to use a Tesla as a police vehicle, which she said, “wasn’t a great fit.”
Instead, the town switched to a Ford F-150 hybrid truck which had lower emissions and saved them money due to lower maintenance costs, this despite the truck costing in the range of $2,000 to $5,000 more than gas or diesel power trucks, Mombourquette said, noting that the hybrid vehicles are also more durable. The District 4 Councillor said charging stations can be included in the purchase of electric vehicles, and considering the large geographic area the municipality covers, this would be a good way for Richmond County to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.
When asked by District 3 Councillor Brian Marchand for a timeline on this request, Mombourquette said there is no deadline but it’s worth investigating whether this would be a good fit for the municipality.