New Electric Vehicles Charge Up UG Fleet!
Published on July 25, 2023
It took cooperation, concerted effort and calculated timing between several Unified Government departments amid a pandemic.
But, thanks to Unified Government employees, Jeff Miles and Russ Owens of the UG Public Works Department as well as staff from the UG Department of Public Health and the Area Agency on Aging, the UG is moving forward with its first fleet of electric vehicles!
Eight 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EVs are now part of the UG Fleet Division’s 1,400 vehicles it oversees. The purchase marks a new era for the municipality’s fleet of over 1,400 vehicles, demonstrating Public Works’ commitment to embracing new technology.
Public Works’ Fleet Services chose the Chevy Bolt EVs for their advanced safety features and modern technologies, which offer a smooth and efficient ride. These electric vehicles are ideal for light-duty transportation needs, and they can cover a range of up to 259 miles on a single charge, which saves approximately $6,400 in annual fuel costs.
“Our industry is going to the electric vehicle,” said Miles, Director of UG Public Works and former Fleet Manager. “We were able to take advantage of an opportunity during one of the most difficult times in recent memory to obtain them.”
The acquisition of the vehicles required cooperation, concerted effort, and calculated timing between several UG teams. In 2022, the UG Public Health Department received a grant to obtain electric vehicles, but ongoing supply chain issues caused by the pandemic made purchasing the vehicles challenging. To maximize purchasing power, Public Works’ Fleet Services teams partnered with the Area Agency on Aging and the Public Health Department to enhance grant funding and leverage municipal buying power.
“The chip shortage affected the availability of new cars, including electric vehicles,” said Owens, Public Works’ Fleet Division Manager. “Pooling grant funds with budget dollars from two additional groups increased the team’s ability to secure the right vehicles at the right price.”
The Chevy Bolt EVs were purchased through the Kansas City Co-op Municipal Bid program from Molle Chevrolet of Blue Springs, Missouri. Molle is the program’s designated electric vehicle dealer and sells electric vehicles to multiple municipalities in the KC Metro area through a competitive bid process.
With the assistance of Public Works’ Buildings & Logistics team, charging support was added to three facilities so the vehicles could be placed into service quickly.
Mayor/CEO Tyrone A. Garner, who recently experienced riding in one of the UG's electric vehicles while inspecting wind damage in Wyandotte County after a major thunderstorm on July 14, 2023, praised the three UG departments for their cooperative efforts.
"I appreciate that Public Works, Public Health and the Area Agency on Aging worked together in bringing in and eventually combining their state and federal grant funding for these electric vehicles that ultimately saved money for Wyandotte County taxpayers while also providing more effective and efficient services for our community, while preserving our environment through such green energy initiatives," he said.