City of Brantford launches fully electric building department fleet

BRANTFORD, ON – The City of Brantford is pleased to announce the launch of its first fully electric departmental fleet of vehicles. Starting this week, City of Brantford building inspectors began using seven new electric Hyundai Konas.

“We are excited to make the switch to using corporate electric vehicles and show the City of Brantford’s commitment to greening our fleet,” says Andy McMahon, City of Brantford Chief Building Official and Director of Building Services. “Not only do the new vehicles reduce the City’s impact on climate change, it is expected to reduce fuel and maintenance costs by 75 per cent per vehicle.”

The adoption of the electric vehicles (EVs) is in line with the City of Brantford’s Corporate Climate Change Action Plan and moves Brantford closer to reaching its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The seven EVs will avoid 14.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (T of CO₂e) a year and approximately 102 T of CO₂e emissions over the lifetime of the operation of the vehicles. The annual avoidance of emissions is equivalent to planting 668 trees.

“This is a big step in the right direction towards our climate change targets,” says Rochelle Rumney, Climate Change Officer, City of Brantford. “It’s an opportunity to show the multiple benefits of an EV fleet and share those findings with our community.”

The new EVs have been outfitted with decals to show they are 100% electric as well as the City of Brantford logo. While reducing greenhouse gas emissions and operating costs, EVs are also much better for the local air quality and are significantly quieter than vehicles with an internal combustion engine.

To learn more about how the City of Brantford is taking action on climate change and what you can do to help, visit www.Brantford.ca/ClimateAction.

In 2019, City of Brantford Council declared a climate emergency stating that Canada has disproportionally contributed to the climate and ecological crises, and that emergency mobilization on an unprecedented scale will be required. The City agreed, in principle, to becoming a net-zero carbon community by 2050.

Photo Caption Electric Vehicles Photo 1 – From left: Rochelle Rumney, Climate Change Officer, City of Brantford, Andy McMahon, Chief Building Official and Director of Building Services, City of Brantford.

Photo Caption Electric Vehicles Photo 2 – City of Brantford building inspection staff, from left: Randy DeGroote, Jared Sheffield, Patrick Erskine, David Ljubic and Jeff Collens.

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Media Contact:

Heather Carvalho, Acting Manager, Communications and Community Engagement
City of Brantford | Office: 519-759-4150 ext. 5741 | hcarvalho@brantford.ca

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