NorthTec expands electric vehicle fleet and installs EV chargers

NorthTec's two new electric vehicles - Hyundai Ioniq Electrics - which the tertiary institute says will help reduce its carbon footprint and save money.

Northland tertiary institute NorthTec has got two new electric vehicles it says will help reduce its carbon footprint and cut fuel costs.

NorthTec has received two of its three new leased Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) which will join its fleet of cars as part of a replacement programme this year. Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations have also been installed at NorthTec's Dyer St and Raumanga Campuses in Whangārei.

NorthTec said it has started electrification of its vehicle fleet with co-funding assistance through Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA). EECA's State Sector Decarbonisation Fund supports the Carbon Neutral Government programme, which is aimed at reducing carbon emissions across the state sector.

NorthTec's new leased vehicles are Hyundai Ioniq Electrics and will be joined by the third leased BEV, a Nissan Leaf, later this month.

"This was a fantastic collaborative initiative led by the capital assets team with a great outcome for NorthTec," Jonathan Slavich, NorthTec's director of corporate services said.

"This initiative shows our commitment to reduce our emissions by making clever decisions and leveraging technology across the day-to-day things that we do, to ultimately operate more efficiently and sustainably."

By transitioning to leased BEV cars, NorthTec is now able to update its fleet more frequently. This means the vehicle fleet will be able to keep up with the latest technology, and safety and environmental standards.

NorthTec said this is a great opportunity to start reducing its carbon footprint. It is already looking into replacement fleet vehicles for 2022 and had highlighted which vehicles would be replaced.

A further three have been replaced by NorthTec with Kia Niro Hybrid SUVs. The move to hybrid vehicle use for long-distance trips enables NorthTec to further reduce its carbon emissions by 7.2 tonnes annually and reduce fuel costs by 44 per cent .

The BEVs and EV charging infrastructure are part of a NorthTec commitment to reduce emissions. Other measures included the switch to energy-efficient LED lighting across campus (also co-funded through EECA), and the replacement of lights in the Raumanga Hospitality Building, Raumanga Library and the 32 street lights within the Raumanga Campus.

It is estimated this will reduce carbon emissions by around 63 tonnes over 10 years (around 6.3 tonnes a year on average over 10 years) and save about $14,020 in energy costs a year.