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Whately committee weighs hybrids for town fleet, urges EVs for police
Summary
The Electric Vehicle Committee reviewed a Weston & Sampson fleet assessment and debated buying hybrids for most town vehicles while reserving electric purchases for police cars because of shorter replacement cycles and charging constraints.
The Town of Whately Electric Vehicle Committee reviewed a Weston & Sampson Electric Vehicle Fleet Assessment on July 23 and flagged trade-offs between hybrid and fully electric vehicles for municipal use. Committee members said the town’s typical vehicle lifespan — about 15 years for most departments — makes hybrids a potentially better fit for many fleets, while police vehicles, which are replaced more quickly, may be appropriate candidates for electrification.
"It may be best to procure hybrid rather than electric vehicles," said Keith Bardwell, summarizing the committee’s reading of the usage data and replacement timelines. He urged matching vehicle type to department use and lifecycle expectations. Joyce Palmer-Fortune, who was elected committee chair at the meeting, cautioned that consultant recommendations can be "cookie cutter" and said the committee should vet each suggestion against Whately’s specific needs.
Members noted that police vehicles have shorter service lives, often within warranty periods, and that forcing an electric patrol vehicle to charge can temporarily remove it from service. The committee did not adopt final procurement policy at the meeting; instead, members were assigned to review specific portions of the fleet evaluation and report back with questions and recommended next steps.
The Selectboard reviewed the report on May 28; Weston & Sampson completed the analysis. The committee also noted that $400 remains in the grant for additional consultant work if the group requests further study on particular questions raised by the mileage and usage assumptions in the report. The committee set a follow-up meeting for Aug. 6, 2024, to continue its review.
