Hybrid, Electric Vehicles Added to Weymouth's Fleet

From the Town of Weymouth

WEYMOUTH, MA – Mayor Robert Hedlund announced Tuesday that Weymouth has acquired to two hybrid vehicles, one electric vehicle, and a charging station with funding through the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive (EVI) Program. The program provides incentives for cities and towns to acquire electric vehicles and install charging stations for the purpose of reducing municipal energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) awarded Weymouth $10,000 for the purchase or lease of two hybrid vehicles and $15,000 for the purchase or lease of one all-electric vehicle and one charging station. The town chose to lease two Chevy Volts for a term of three years from Quirk Chevrolet of Braintree. The cost is just $500 per year per vehicle. An all-electric vehicle and charging station are scheduled to arrive in January 2017.

“This investment in hybrid and electric vehicles through the EVI program will help continue our progress towards cleaner energy and greater energy conservation,” said Mayor Robert Hedlund. “We are hoping to set an example for the rest of the community to follow, and to continue working with the Baker-Polito Administration to achieve our energy objectives.”

The new vehicles will replace several 12-year-old Ford Crown Victoria gasoline cars, which will be traded or auctioned in the coming year. Unlike the hybrid and electric vehicles, the Ford Crown Victoria does not meet the EPA’s combined fuel economy guidelines for fuel efficiency. Replacement of the Crown Victorians will thereby support the town’s commitment as a Green Community to reduce municipal energy consumption

by 20 percent between 2015 and 2020. As part of this commitment, Weymouth has adopted a fuel-efficient vehicle policy, promising to purchase only fuel efficient vehicles for municipal and school administration use.

Weymouth is one of 155 cities and towns to earn Green Community designation through the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). In 2015, the town received $277,635 in Green Communities funding to install energy efficient lighting fixtures in several schools and municipal buildings, as well as install an energy management system in town hall.

Image: File photo