The City of Delta will be applying for federal dollars to help pay for even more electric vehicle charging stations.
Council recently endorsed a staff recommendation to apply to the Natural Resources Canada Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program to help fund charging stations for Delta’s municipal fleet.
Delta's fleet includes 80 light duty vehicles, 24 of which are hybrids.
A staff report notes that stemming from Delta's Electric Vehicle Strategy and the action in that strategy to develop an "electric first" policy for the fleet, the five-year plan is to purchase one-to-four electric vehicles each year to replace combustion engine vehicles at the end of their duty life.
Existing public charging stations at municipal facilities can be used to charge Delta fleet vehicles in the short-term.
However, dedicated fleet charging is required as additional electric vehicles are added to the corporate fleet.
The proposed fleet charging project would include 10 Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations located where fleet vehicles are parked overnight.
The report notes the exact locations of the charging stations will be determined following a fleet assessment and facility assessment, which are planned to be completed by the end of 2021.
Delta currently operates 10 Level 2 charging stations at public facilities and installation has begun on another 20 stations.
About half of the 2021 stations have been installed and completion of all 20 stations is expected by October.
The city also recently applied for funding to install an additional 20 Level 2 stations and a DC Fast Charge station at public facilities.
