By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
When it comes to their latest truck purchase, Northumberland County seems sold giving electric vehicles a whirl.
In fact, the report at Wednesday’s county council meeting called for the purchase of one as a replacement – a half-tonne pick-up for which the lowest bid that met all specifications came in at $86,500.
Councillor John Logel asked if they had considered a hybrid.
Associate Director of Operations Adam McCue said upkeep considerations ruled this out. A hybrid burdens you with all the expenses and care that an internal-combustion engine requires – ensuring that your transmission and heating system are in good repair, for example – while an EV eliminates those charges.
Councillor Scott Jibb asked about the “project payback period” on the purchase price differential.
McCue said all calculations are based on a 200,000-km. lifespan. While the purchase price of a conventional vehicle is lower, the costs over that lifespan of an EV are about $24,000 less.
As for the purchase price, it was budgeted at $70,000. Council approved the recommendation to proceed with the purchase and withdrawn the difference o $18,022.40 from the Facilities Division capital reserve – which Treasurer Matthew Nitsch said has a balance of slightly more than $2.2-million.
Jibb was also concerned that the purchase is from a Hamilton dealership, which seems to fly in the face of their buy-local messaging.
“We did go through a competitive-bid process, and allowed any and all vendors to bid,” McCue said – “we received two bids.
“Anybody and everybody who has a dealership was able to bid on this if they chose to.”
