Sustainability and Resiliency - Electric Vehicles

Pinellas County goes electric

In 2021, Pinellas County added two fully electric vehicles to its fleet. The 2021 Chevrolet Bolts replaced the County’s previous two 2013 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which used both gasoline and an electric motor.

 

Pinellas County also owns two 2015 Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid electric cars and plans to adopt more electric and hybrid vehicles in the coming years, starting with six additional fully electric vehicles, four hybrid bucket trucks and 24 electric golf carts in 2022.

 

There are currently eight publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations at County facilities as part of Duke Energy’s Park & Plug program.

 

 

Reducing pollution

The carbon footprint of two Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles is about two-thirds lower than that of the average new gasoline vehicle, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s greenhouse gas emissions calculator. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions benefits our environment and public health and helps lessen the impacts of climate change.

 

Greenhouse gas emissions of the 2021 Chevrolet Bolt compared to emissions of the average new gasoline vehicle, based on St. Petersburg zip code 33716. Source: U.S. Department of Energy greenhouse gas emissions calculator

 

Powered by your trash

Pinellas County’s new Chevrolet Bolt electric vehicles are used by Department of Solid Waste staff and charged at the County’s Solid Waste Disposal Complex, which includes the Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility. The WTE facility turns trash from Pinellas County residents, businesses and visitors into electricity, which is added to the local electric grid and is enough to power about 45,000 homes and businesses every day.

 

The WTE facility also helps prevent greenhouse gas pollution caused by waste decomposing in landfills. These facilities produce less emissions than sending waste to a landfill would, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

 

Learn more about the WTE facilities on our Waste Reduction page

 

 

Reducing operational costs

Purchasing two electric vehicles has the potential to save the County more than $3,000 in fuel costs over the course of the cars’ lifetimes, according to Duke Energy’s Fleet Electrification Calculator.* Maintenance costs are also lower for a fully electric vehicle due to fewer moving parts, fewer fluids to change and reduced brake wear.

 

*This estimate assumes a gas price of $2.68, an energy cost of $0.11 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and 75 miles driven per week.

 

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Considering an electric vehicle for yourself?

Making the switch to an electric vehicle is one way to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. Driving an electric vehicle not only reduces greenhouse gas pollution but can also save you money in in the long run on both fuel and maintenance costs. Learn more about electric vehicles with the resources below.

 

General electric vehicle (EV) information and resources:

• Duke Energy - Electric Vehicles
• Electrify the South
• Plug In America
• Electric Vehicle Cost Calculator (U.S. Department of Energy):
  

 

Electric and hybrid vehicle options:

• Plug In America Electric Vehicle Guide
• Sierra Club Electric Vehicle Guide: Which electric vehicle is right for me?

 

Electric Vehicle Tax Credit

Federal tax credits of up to $7,500 are available for many electric and hybrid plug-in vehicles. View the latest tax credit amounts for each vehicle.

 

Where are the EV charging stations near me?

• ChargePoint EV charging station map
• PlugShare EV charging station map
• Tesla Trip Planner
• U.S. Department of Energy Alternative Fueling Station Locator