Rochester Mayor Malik Evans says the future of Rochester’s vehicle fleet is electric, but the time is not yet here.
In a discussion with a City Council committee this week, council members asked why a measure to buy new city police cars didn’t consider any electric or hybrid-electric vehicles. The city wants to spend $1.5 million on 30 new police cars. The contract specifies gasoline-powered Dodge Chargers at about $45,000 a copy.
Mayor Evans says they would simply cost more than the city has to spend. There’s also a lack of electric cars equipped to be police vehicles, and the city would need both the charging station infrastructure, plus mechanics trained to maintain electrics, and also stockpiles of parts and batteries.
The City Environmental Services Commissioner, Richard Perrin, also adds that current battery technology isn’t as good in cold weather.
Mayor Evans says he believes in electric vehicles and sees them as the future of the city’s truck and vehicle fleets, but not yet.
Rochester Mayor Malik Evans says the future of Rochester’s vehicle fleet is electric, but the time is not yet here.
In a discussion with a City Council committee this week, council members asked why a measure to buy new city police cars didn’t consider any electric or hybrid-electric vehicles. The city wants to spend $1.5 million on 30 new police cars. The contract specifies gasoline-powered Dodge Chargers at about $45,000 a copy.
Mayor Evans says they would simply cost more than the city has to spend. There’s also a lack of electric cars equipped to be police vehicles, and the city would need both the charging station infrastructure, plus mechanics trained to maintain electrics, and also stockpiles of parts and batteries.
The City Environmental Services Commissioner, Richard Perrin, also adds that current battery technology isn’t as good in cold weather.
Mayor Evans says he believes in electric vehicles and sees them as the future of the city’s truck and vehicle fleets, but not yet.