Check out the latest addition to the City of Elk River’s vehicle fleet – a 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The PHEV features two electric motors and a gasoline engine which work together to ensure optimal performance depending on the driving conditions, all while reducing emissions and saving money. Another cool fact about the Outlander PHEV, it’s the first of its kind with DC fast charge technology, which charges the battery from flat to 80 percent in as little as 30 minutes.
Last year, the City of Elk River collaborated with Elk River Municipal Utilities (ERMU) to conduct an Electric Vehicle Sustainability Assessment, in which 20 city and ERMU vehicles were monitored for daily utilization, fuel economy, idling time, and potential savings if hybrid or electric vehicle alternatives were available.
The city signed a three year lease for the Outlander PHEV, and multiple departments are already using the vehicle with the goal of determining whether or not this, or other electric vehicles should become a permanent addition to the city’s fleet. Give a honk or a wave if you see this cruising around town!