The City of Dayton bought five new electric vehicles for a total of about $140,000, which came from the city’s general fund.
It’s part of the Strategy for a Sustainable Dayton, a plan to reduce the city's dependence on fossil fuels and build an environmentally sustainable framework for the city.
City Commissioner Matt Joseph said it will save the city about $1,000 per car per year.
“It makes sense because we're not spending money on gas. They're cheaper to maintain. Way fewer moving parts means less maintenance overall,” Joseph said. “And that's a good thing for us as we try to build for the future, to make sure we're buying things at a less long time.”
The 2023 Chevy Bolt cars will be used by the police department, the planning department and mediation center.
Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein said the new cars fit in just right with the city’s mission to operate the city in a more environmentally sustainable way.
"The purchase of these five vehicles is a continuation of our initiative to move Dayton in a more sustainable direction," Dickstein said. "These electric vehicles complement that initial work and will serve as a visible reminder of our progress toward being a greener community."
Joseph said the city plans to buy several more electric vehicles in the coming months.
“As the [electric] vehicles develop, as different types are developed, especially work vehicles, we're looking forward to moving into those as fast as we can where it makes fiscal sense.” Joseph said.
The plan is to replace the city's 1,200 fleet of cars with all electric cars by 2035.
Alejandro Figueroa is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms.