AUTOMOTIVE
Fleet EVs:
How Alberta is Powering the Next Generation of Work Vehicles
Across the province, fleet electrification is gaining momentum.
By Elizabeth Chorney-Booth
This EV truck is one of four in AMA’s roadside assistance fleet. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF AMA
In Northern Alberta, where long, freezing winters and long distances between towns are the norm, communities such as Cold Lake are setting an example of how electric vehicles (EVs) can be integrated into the transportation mix. In late 2023, the City of Cold Lake added two EVs to its municipal fleet: a Hyundai Ioniq 5 for use by peace officers, and a John Deere Gator for the parks department. This is just one of many projects designed to put EVs to work in Alberta.
“Municipalities are taking a pragmatic approach to this, and they’re always looking for new ways that they can enhance... services and save money for their residents,” says Dylan Bressey, a Grande Prairie city councillor and the president of Alberta Municipalities.
In fact, EVs can be spotted at work across the province, serving communities such as Stony Plain, Medicine Hat and Calgary. In Lethbridge, Grande Prairie and Strathcona County, electric Zambonis clean the ice at municipal rinks — and improve noise pollution and indoor air quality while they do it.
Cold Lake’s mayor Craig Copeland, left, with a peace officer and the Hyundai Ioniq 5. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF MUNICIPAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION CENTRE
Electric power is good for business — and the planet
The economic piece is a significant motivator in any organization’s decision to incorporate EVs. While the initial cost to purchase an EV is usually higher than that of a traditional internal combustion engine vehicle, electric vehicles typically run at a lower cost in terms of fuel. And for maintenance, EVs have fewer mechanical parts and components that require servicing. These savings are often enough for budget-minded fleet managers to switch over to EVs.
What’s more, companies are looking to EVs as a means to lighten their environmental impact, as EVs have significantly lower emissions than internal combustion engine vehicles.
“It’s very clear there’s a lower impact with electric vehicles,” says Sara Hastings-Simon, an associate professor at the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Science. She specializes in technology and policy related to lower-carbon energy systems. “Then, of course, the benefits will only go up as electricity grids [become] cleaner globally.”
“We’re adding EVs to our fleet to demonstrate that they do work in Alberta. We want to be a leader in this space to show that it’s feasible.”
AMA’s emerging EV fleet
It’s not only municipal governments that see the value of adding EVs to their fleets. AMA has purchased four fleet EVs, spread between Calgary and Edmonton, and plans to add more this year.
While analyzing where fleet electrification makes the most sense, AMA focused on the opportunities that EVs bring and where they can work best across Alberta right now, as well as on current infrastructure in the province. Currently, the four electric trucks are part of AMA’s roadside assistance fleet, helping with tasks including lockouts and battery boosts. “We found [the roadside assistance vehicles] were able to get through more than an eight-hour shift on one charge,” notes Colin Fritz, AMA’s vice president of operations.
AMA has also replaced its community Care-a-Van with a Chevrolet BrightDrop EV and has incorporated an EV into its driver’s education fleet. With the savings and positive environmental impact, Fritz says, “it’s a net win.”
Setting the tone for Alberta’s EV transformation With the federal government pledging to fund EV infrastructure, both Hastings-Simons and AMA sustainability initiatives manager Carly Weiss believe we’ll see a notable uptake in EV adoption in the coming years. As that shift happens, AMA will be poised to increase its fleet and take advantage of technology that makes sense from both a business and a sustainability point of view. “We’re adding EVs to our fleet to demonstrate that EVs do work in Alberta,” says Weiss. “We want to be a leader in this space to show that it’s feasible.” AMA
Grande Prairie’s electric Zamboni is economical to run and emissions-free. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF MUNICIPAL CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION CENTRE
