The Shire of Harvey is driving closer towards its climate goals after securing its first Electric Vehicle (EV) this month.
The new EV will reduce the Shire’s operational costs and is part of a $12.26 million rollout across 21 local governments.
It comes after Council decided to transition 30 per cent of the Shire’s Light Vehicle Fleet from internal combustion engines to battery electric vehicles by 2030.
Shire of Harvey CEO Annie Riordan said after Council’s endorsement in January, the Shire quickly reached out to the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to register interest in their EV project.
“This is a first of it’s kind initiative and we are thrilled to be part of it,” Ms Riordan said.
“With funding from ARENA, the WA Government, our partner local governments and the Shire of Harvey, there will be 129 EVs rolled out to help mitigate our sector’s corporate emissions.
“The Shire’s own vehicle and accompanying charging infrastructure arrived this week and has marked the beginning of our 30 per cent fleet electrification goal.
“The EV is currently being used by our Waste and Safety Services team to support the field work they do.
“The feedback so far has been very positive and I’m told its quite a smooth ride!”
By charging the car via solar PV systems at Shire buildings, emissions from the vehicle’s battery manufacturing process will be mitigated after approximately 15,000km of driving with zero tailpipe emissions.
The battery is also cobalt-free.
Replacing petrol and diesel vehicles aligns with the Shire’s Corporate Mitigation Action Plan, which was endorsed by Council in 2022.
The Plan outlines the local approach to climate change and identifies strategies to safeguard community assets from shifts in long-term weather patterns.
Ms Riordan said many of these strategies had already been implemented.
“So far, work in this space has included dune renourishment, becoming a WaterWise Council, and diverting organic matter from landfill through our FOGO program,” she said.
“We are also rolling out solar panels across all major Shire buildings and working with local stakeholders to protect our coastline and the Collie River through a Coastal Hazard Risk Management and Adaptation Plan.
“The new EV is the latest in a pipeline of eco-friendly initiatives and forward planning that will keep the Shire in step with other local governments across Australia and support our community’s transition into an increasingly green Harvey Region.
“The community can track our progress by connecting with us on Facebook."