Sydney has become the latest major city to offer its employees a fleet of zero-emission Nissan LEAFs. The recent delivery of ten LEAFs, the single largest order in Australia, reaffirms the New South Wales city's commitment to green initiatives – and serves as an example to its 4.6 million inhabitants.
Replacing a previous fleet of Toyota Prius hybrid cars, the Nissan LEAFs will be used by a range of city employees, including building and health inspectors, town planners and engineers. Sydney has a track record of green initiatives following its benchmark greenhouse gas reduction programmes, which earned it formal certification as carbon-neutral under the National Carbon Offset Standard in November 2011. It was the first Australian council to achieve this honour.
Sydney's Mayor Clover Moore believes the new electric vehicles will not only contribute to fighting pollution; they will also help reduce congestion, which currently costs the city 4 billion Australian dollars per year.
To coincide with this announcement, the city has installed seven electric charging stations at two public car parks. Furthermore, it has announced that carbon emissions from charging the EVs will be offset by the installation of new solar panels. In total, more than 5,500 panels will be erected on 30 buildings, including Town Hall House.
With this initiative, the City of Sydney joins a growing number of major conurbations that have purchased the Nissan LEAF for city employees. The California Department of General Services recently upgraded its fleet with the acquisition of ten LEAFs, while the cities of Loveland and Oklahoma City in the United States have also introduced the LEAF into their fleets.
Read the press release on city of Sydney website
Read the report on Nissan website
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