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Whately EV Committee questions mileage assumptions, narrows early EV candidates to police fleet
Summary
Committee members said a 12,000-miles-per-year assumption in the town’s EV fleet assessment overstates most municipal vehicle use; members asked consultants to rerun estimates using updated mileages and to prioritize police vehicles for early electrification.
The Town of Whately Electric Vehicle Committee on Aug. 6, 2024, asked consultants to rework the town’s fleet model after members said the assessment overestimated vehicle mileage and omitted several heavier-duty vehicles.
Committee Chair Joyce Palmer-Fortune and member Keith Bardwell led a line-by-line review of Section 2 of the 2024 Electric Vehicle Fleet Assessment Report, with Bardwell saying the report’s 12,000-miles-per-year assumption does not fit Whately’s vehicles. Bardwell provided vehicle-specific estimates — for example, police cruisers he said run about 26,000 miles a year while the Police Chief’s vehicle is closer to 10,000 miles; Highway and Water Department vehicles were generally much lower, with some at about 4,500–7,800 miles annually and a Fire Department brush truck at roughly 526 miles a year.
The mileage differences matter because they change the total-cost-of-ownership case for electrifying a vehicle. Bardwell also flagged that the assessment omitted heavier-duty vehicles and did not fully account for maintenance or the uncertain timing and cost of EV battery replacement. He noted routine maintenance items such as oil changes for cruisers and small pickups cost about $60 once or twice yearly and that brakes and suspension costs are similar regardless of powertrain.
Palmer-Fortune noted hybrid batteries commonly carry roughly ten-year warranties and said from her experience hybrids can last well beyond warranty periods; she said the committee should “prioritize the Police vehicles” when considering initial EV replacements. Paul Newlin asked about regenerative braking’s effect on brake life; Palmer-Fortune replied that results can vary depending on vehicle settings. Keith added that a new hybrid is slated to replace the department’s Taurus.
The committee directed consultants to rerun cost and lifecycle estimates using updated mileages and to include the Water Department vehicle that the report omitted. Palmer-Fortune proposed an easy-to-update spreadsheet and chart to track mileage and average maintenance costs to inform future replacement decisions; Bardwell agreed to provide the data points needed.
The committee did not set a follow-up meeting date and will reconvene after receiving the revised analyses from the consultants.
