Feds Acquire Electric Utility Vehicles for Washington Dam
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has acquired 27 battery-electric utility vehicles to help reduce fuel costs and emissions.
by Alexis Tucker
November 23, 2015
Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation
2 min to read
Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has purchased a fleet of battery-electric utility vehicles to allow federal employees working at Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in the state of Washington to move people and equipment in a more environmentally friendly way.
The bureau added 27 EXV2 and EXV4 Patriots built by e-ride Industries of Princeton, Minn., for the nation’s largest hydropower complex. The vehicles were outfitted specifically for use around the mile-wide dam, which covers 18 square miles and includes transmission yards and four power plants.
Ad Loading...
"They are low-cost, low-maintenance vehicles that help us meet our greenhouse gas emission goals set by the White House," said David Walsh, a bureau spokesman. "In addition, they meet a real dire need for vehicles. We've grown by about 150 employees within the last three or four years, so there's been a shortage of vehicles available."
Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation
In an effort to become more environmentally friendly, the bureau needed to find a way to cut down on fossil fuel usage, Walsh said.
“There are a lot of short trips we do," Walsh said. "To go from one end of the power plant to another is quite a drive, and it's usually just to pick up this part, deliver that item, or pick up two or three people to go work a job site or perform a task."
The vehicles are designed to handle a 1,000-pound payload, and reach a top speed of 25 mph with enough torque to make it up steep grades around the power plant complex. The vehicles powered by energy generated by the dam.
"We can get 50 miles of usage off of a single charge, so we set up a number of plug-in areas at various buildings,” said Walsh.
Ad Loading...
Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Reclamation
With the help of these electric vehicles, Grand Coulee will be able to cut spending on gasoline and diesel.
"[We] spend over $100,000 on fossil fuel each year," said Matt Tillman, Grand Coulee's administrative officer. "We're expecting to be able to cut that consumption by 10-15%.”
The 14 four-passenger models cost $32,381 each, while the 13 two-passenger utility models cost $32,902.
The dam's operators will be able to retire several vehicles that are currently in use that are fossil-fueled and don’t get as good mileage.
To see a video of the fleet in action, click here.
Beam Global and HEVO have launched an integrated autonomous wireless charging system that pairs off-grid solar EV infrastructure with wireless charging technology, designed to support autonomous vehicle operations and electric fleet deployments.
Alabama A&M University has added four electric patrol vehicles to its Department of Public Safety fleet, becoming the first university in the state to deploy electric police vehicles.
Sustainability mandates and tight budgets don't have to be in conflict. Hybrids offer a practical, low-risk path to meaningful emissions reductions without new infrastructure spending or operational disruption. Download the eBook for the data and the roadmap to make the case internally and act with confidence.
The pilot will use Cero Global’s technology on city-owned vehicles to evaluate its impact on emissions and fuel consumption, as well as potential savings in municipal operating costs.
Philadelphia is shifting its trash collection fleet toward cleaner operations with a new partnership that will power 35 CNG compactors using renewable natural gas sourced from regional landfills.
