The new electric vehicle to be used at the Galt Museum & Archives and Fort Whoop-Up in Lethbridge, July 13, 2023. (Photo: City of Lethbridge)

By Justin Goulet

Galt Museum unveils new electric vehicle

Jul 13, 2023 | 11:21 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Galt Museum & Archives (Akaisamitohkanao’pa) in Lethbridge is carving a different path with a new electric vehicle.

The site has announced that its new programming cargo van is an all-electric vehicle (EV).

The van was purchased through the Municipal Climate Change Action Centre (MCCAC), which a partnership between Alberta Municipalities, Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and the Government of Alberta. The MCCAC focuses on how climate change impacts the province. With that, the centre provides funding, technical assistance and education to municipalities, schools, and community organizations to help them lower energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience.

The Galt Museum & Archives and Fort Whoop-Up will primarily use the new van to cut down on usage of other staff vehicles. It will be used for hauling materials, as well as doing pickups and deliveries around Lethbridge. The van was initially purchased by the Galt in December of 2022.

Darrin Martens, CEO and Executive Director of the Galt Museum and Fort Whoop-Up said, “We are very pleased to be taking another step forward in environmental sustainability.”

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“By adding this vehicle to the Galt and the Fort, we are fulfilling a value of our new strategic plan as we continually work toward sustainability and holistically consider our practices from cultural, health, financial, environmental and social perspectives.”

More details on the MCCAC and its Electric Vehicles for Municipalities Program are available online.

The program allows eligible municipalities to receive funding for multiple EVs to transition their fleet vehicles towards the more fuel-efficient options.

Lethbridge mayor Blaine Hyggen stated, “As we continue to work towards sustainable future energy use, this is another great initiative in supporting the transition to low-emission vehicles in Lethbridge.”

The new electric vehicle will be used for hauling materials, as well as doing pickups and deliveries around Lethbridge, July 13, 2023. (Photo: City of Lethbridge)

Meanwhile, General Manager of Fleet Services for the City of Lethbridge, Rob Ulrich noted that through the MCCAC grants and rebate, the City has additional EVs in other departments.

Ulrich said, “We have recently acquired an Electric Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and an Electric Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) for the Waste & Environment department.”

“In addition, we are anticipating delivery of our first Electric Ice Resurfacer this fall,” he added.

The MCCAC noted that transitioning to an electric vehicle will:

• Help reduce maintenance costs and downtime because the brakes last longer and there is no need for oil changes
• Allow for more efficient driving due to regenerative braking. The centre said EVs generate energy when you slow down, compared to a regular vehicle “that wastes energy when slowing down”
• Create a healthier environment for the entire community “because EVs do not produce tailpipe emissions into the air we breathe”

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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