Title
Special Recognition - Electric Vehicle and Charging Station Pilot Project
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a Committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
This is a Special Recognition Item.
Report
Issue:
The City’s Fleet is piloting electric vehicles (EVs) and electric vehicle charging station infrastructure to use for fleet and public charging.
Presenter(s):
Danelle MacEwen, Program Specialist, Public Works General Services, 360.753.8494
Background and Analysis:
Recently, the legislature enacted a law requiring local governments to start purchasing 100 percent electric or biodiesel vehicles starting in 2018. A major barrier to converting the City’s fleet to electric is the cost to install the necessary infrastructure to charge the vehicles. Equipment and installation is approximately $15,000 per charging station. The majority of the City’s Fleet of 206 vehicles runs on biodiesel. Therefore, this legislation affects 103 vehicles. Of the 103 vehicles, 19 are solid candidates to switching to electric while the remaining 84 (light duty trucks, vans, and SUVs) do not have a good electric or biodiesel option at this time.
In anticipation of the 2018, start date, staff began researching grants to offset the high infrastructure costs. Through our membership in Western Washington Clean Cities, we learned about an opportunity with Nissan. Nissan recognizes the high infrastructure cost and donated four double-headed charging stations to the City of Olympia at a value of approximately $28,000. The charging stations can be used by the public as well as for the City’s fleet. The charging stations open the door to the City acquiring electric vehicles (EVs).
The City will pilot the charging stations and lease six EVs for the City’s Fleet over the next two years to understand how best to implement a larger EV program. The charging stations will be installed at City Hall, Justice Center, Priest Point Park, and the Maintenance Center. In 2013 and 2014, the City will be leasing six Nissan LEAFs from Olympia’s Nissan Dealer, Bruce Titus Automotive Group. Parks, Public Works, and Fire will use the EVs as part of their Fleet. We will monitor their use and expenses throughout the pilot.
We anticipate saving $8,000 over the next two years in operating and maintenance expenses while reducing more than 11,000 pounds of CO2 emissions.