5.3. ERMUSR 03-15-2016 - Laserfiche WebLink

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�j Elk River Municipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING TO: FROM: Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Tom Sagstetter—Conservation and Key Accounts John Dietz—Chair Manager Al Nadeau—Vice Chair Daryl Thompson—Trustee MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER: March 15`h, 2016 5.3 SUBJECT: Electric Vehicle Charging Opportunities BACKGROUND: Clean and renewable energy are two areas that are very important in today's energy market place. The City of Elk River,Energy City Commission,and ERMU have been evaluating the possibilities of adding clean electric vehicles to the city fleet and the charging possibilities for the fleet and the Elk River community. DISCUSSION: City staff and ERMU are focused on researching and gathering information to assist in making decisions to include electric vehicles and charging facilities for city and utility use. The focus of the research so far has been on possible vehicle types,partnership opportunities,and funding options that include tax credits and grants. Electric vehicles continue to be a growing segment in the new vehicle market despite relatively cheap gasoline prices. The benefits of electric vehicles are numerous. They include,but are not limited to: decreased air pollution,quiet riding vehicles,expanded range(up to 200 miles per charge),cost effective fuel and very minimal routine maintenance. Existing barriers in this market are: range anxiety,fear of new technology and lack of maintenance experience and early adopter challenges. The electric vehicle options provide a great opportunity for Energy City to strengthen its position as an environmental leader. By including this innovative technology in the daily activities in and around Elk River,Energy City can highlight the dedication to sustainable practices in the daily activity. For vehicles that primarily stay within a 50 mile radius of the city,range anxiety should not be an issue. Based on the quickly increasing charging stations located around the region it's possible to travel almost anywhere in the state. The main factors to range anxiety are the type of vehicle being used and the network of acceptable charging stations. At this time,city and utility staff are evaluating the types of vehicles and the associated charging requirements. The three types of cars are defined below: 1. Hybrid electric vehicles(HEVs)are primarily powered by an internal combustion engine that runs on conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses energy stored in a r" POWERED BY El Page 1 of 3 NATURE Reliable Public Power Provider P OWERED To S ERV E 169