Brisbane City Council is leading the way in the fight against climate change, having recently purchased a clean, green, fuel efficient hybrid truck.
Council’s Environment, Parks and Sustainability Committee Chair, Councillor Peter Matic, said the City is currently working on a Clean Air Strategy, which identifies vehicle exhaust as the greatest threat to the health of Brisbane’s air.
“The hybrid truck reduces emissions of nitrous oxides by almost 50 per cent and other harmful particulate matter by 98.9 per cent, which provides a strong case for adding hybrid trucks to our fleet,” Councillor Matic said. “Council has 74 hybrid hatch backs in its current fleet, as our policy is to support hybrid vehicles because the technology produces the least of all pollutants. The purchase of the hybrid truck shows Council’s commitment to achieving better environmental outcomes across all areas of its business.”
The truck has been used in different Council work areas to assess its operational suitability. It has been used to distribute mulch to parks and gardens and also for construction and material distribution.
The truck integrates a 4.0 litre diesel engine, with a 23 kilowatt electric motor and rechargeable bank of batteries. It also boasts an idle stop feature that saves on greenhouse gas emissions and fuel consumption.
“Council has adopted a proactive approach to reducing the environmental impact of its fleet, which is an important step toward our vision for residents to have the cleanest air of all Australian cities,” Councillor Matic said.
The draft Clean Air Strategy is an initiative of Council’s GreenHeartCitySmart program. It is available online at www.greenheartcitysmart.com
For further information visit www.brisbane.qld.gov.au or phone Council on (07) 3403 8888.
