Townsville City Council announced its three new cars are plug-in hybrids, which marks the first step towards the Council’s goal of having 70 per cent of its light vehicle fleet powered by renewable energy.
The new Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross and Ford Eclipse are plug-in hybrid vehicles with batteries that supply energy to electric motors, backed up by a combustion engine. The batteries are recharged by plugging into a power source or through regenerative braking while driving.
Townsville Council’s Community Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability Committee chairperson, Maurie Soars, said Council was committed to achieving its target of becoming a carbon neutral Council by 2040.
“The health of our natural environment is everybody’s responsibility, and as a leading organisation in Townsville it’s up to Council to set the standard. That’s why Council is making changes across the organisation to achieve its goal of having 70 per cent of its light vehicles powered by renewable energy by 2026,” Cr Soars said.
“Council carefully manages its assets, giving Council the opportunity to investigate innovative options that are better for the environment and provide a better return on investment.
“Replacing aged assets like cars with more environmentally-friendly options means we’re able to move towards our goal and help protect our natural environment.”
