City of Surrey Electric Vehicle Fleet Pilot

To reduce their corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the City of Surrey will conduct a three-year pilot project by replacing four light-duty gasoline vehicles from their general 12-vehicle fleet with electric vehicles (EVs). The city will also install four charging stations on the staff level of the new City Hall parkade. The test will help Surrey meet the objectives of its 2010 Corporate Emissions Action Plan, which targets a 20% reduction of corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from baseline levels by 2020. The results will guide the city’s decision on whether to permanently expand its general fleet pool through EV purchase. This field test aims to measure and compare the relative costs and benefits of operating an electric vehicle fleet in a municipal context. The EVs’ environmental, economic, and operational impacts will be measured using a project-specific, pilot Lifecycle Costing Assessment tool, developed in partnership with Simon Fraser University’s School of Mechatronics. The city will use this tool to analyze yearly odometer readings from the four electric vehicles to provide a detailed report of the lifecycle impacts of EV operation over a three-year period. In addition, the city will conduct focus groups and surveys to gather feedback from regular users on their experience with the EVs. The city expects this test to reduce their fleet’s annual fuel consumption by 4,345 liters and to reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by approximately 10 tonnes CO2e per year. As BC’s second largest city, with a proven track record of sound fiscal management in fleet operations, Surrey can offer guidance and best practices to other municipalities seeking to transition their general fleet pool to EVs. (Project description from original funding application)