Watercare plugs in more EVs

Watercare is opting for electric-only vehicles where suitable.

It has added 23 new Hyundai electric vehicles to its passenger pool fleet – 20 Ioniqs and three Konas.

The Auckland Council-controlled organisation (CCO) says it’s no longer going to include plug-in hybrids, opting only for fully electric or conventional vehicles.

“In future, our focus will be on efficiency and fuel reductions,” a spokesperson says.

“We are looking at the current utilisation of our vehicles and will encourage more ‘pooling’ within teams rather than ‘individual allocations’, and hopefully by doing so, we will be able to reduce our overall fleet vehicle numbers which will affect our fuel consumption, carbon emissions, and more.”

Watercare is among New Zealand companies which committed to electrify at least 30% of their vehicle fleets by the end of 2019.

But the CCO says it has changed that target to 30% of its overall passenger vehicle fleet because trucks and vans comprise much of its total pool, so an overall target isn’t achievable – mainly because suitable electric trucks and vans are still coming on the market.

Watercare says it’s also considering bio-gas production from its wastewater treatment plants, which may eventually be able to fuel vehicles, but expects that’s probably a few years away.

EV charging units are being increased too. More have been placed at the Pukekohe Wastewater Treatment Plant and at Eden Park – home to the Central Interceptor project team.

Two dual 22kW chargers are being installed at the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant, five similar chargers at Rosedale and 15 additional 22kW chargers at Watercare’s Newmarket head office.

Watercare’s initial move to EVs featured in the EVtalk June 2018 magazine.