Saanich Charges Ahead with First Electric Car in Region [CA]

Saanich Charges Ahead with First Electric Car in Region

Saanich – Today the District of Saanich and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) are pleased to announce a partnership to pilot the all-electric zero-tailpipe emissions Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle). The municipality will test the i-MiEV to evaluate the vehicle’s performance, range of distance, and function within a municipal fleet. The i-MiEV will be available to consumers later this year.

The i-MiEV can go up to 120 kilometres on a single charge, has the top speed and safety ratings of current vehicles and can completely recharge on a standard household 120V outlet in 13 hours. The Municipality has installed a 240V charging station at the Saanich Hall which provides a full charge in only 6 hours.

The Municipality sees the arrival of electric vehicles as the beginning of a significant shift in vehicle use and a key component of the Saanich Climate Action Plan. The Municipality set a 2020 target of 5,000 electric vehicles in the community when the Plan was passed by Council in April 2010 and a 33% reduction target in community greenhouse gas emissions. Saanich cars, trucks and SUV’s emit over 220,000 tonnes of emissions each year which represents 54% of Saanich’s total emissions.

Following initial testing of the car by BC Hydro and the City of Vancouver, Saanich is now integrating the i-MiEV into its fleet of vehicles to assess the performance of the car under a range of conditions as part of a 3-year pilot project. Staff will provide feedback to Mitsubishi and also learn how the adoption of electric vehicles will impact the community. Saanich is currently developing an Electric Vehicles Strategy that will address these issues and also pull together experiences from other regions where electric vehicle policy has already been considered. The Municipality will also be providing information sessions and other engagement opportunities later this year for residents to learn the many benefits of the electric vehicle and to seek their input on how they will be integrated into the community.