Jun 10, 2009 - 03:19 PM

By Chris Hall

SCUGOG -- The long-term environmental benefits of hybrid technology must be considered when looking at the costs of Scugog's sole green vehicle, says Mayor Marilyn Pearce.

While recently reviewing a detailed comparison between a 2006 Ford Escape used by the municipality's bylaw department and a 2008 hybrid edition of the same SUV assigned to the fire department, Scugog's councillors were informed that the municipality realized very little fuel savings using the vehicle which is partially powered by electricity.

According to Richard Miller, Scugog's fire chief, figures show that the hybrid averaged about 8.34 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres driven, while the standard Escape used 10.34 litres per 100 km.

On average, according to the fire chief, the hybrid SUV might save the Township a little more than $300 a year on fuel costs, based on $1-a-litre gas prices.

However, the hybrid SUV clearly distanced itself from its counterpart when it came to carbon dioxide emissions. In his report, Chief Miller stated that the hybrid produced about 0.200 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilometre, about 19 per cent less than the 0.248 kg/km emitted by the bylaw department's Escape.

Summing up his views on the hybrid technology, Chief Miller offered a lukewarm response in his report. He pointed out that such vehicles may be better suited to urban areas, where motorists typically don't reach high speeds.

Typical hybrid vehicles use electrical battery power until they reach speeds around 40 or 50 km/h, and then switch over to conventional gasoline engines.

"Due to the nature of the municipality, the hybrid vehicle has not met the optimal fuel consumption," the fire chief wrote in his report. "In an urban municipality, the use of hybrid vehicles may prove to be both cost effective (greater fuel mileage) and environmentally friendly (less carbon dioxide emissions) due to the greater use of electric propulsion and less use of gasoline.

"However, in a primarily rural municipality such as Scugog, the use of hybrid vehicles may not achieve their optimal cost effectiveness as there is a greater use of the gasoline propulsion and less of electric," continued Chief Miller.

He stressed the cost of the hybrid vehicle "must be weighed against the (carbon dioxide) emission reduction of 19 per cent that the hybrid provides."

It's the tidbit of information regarding emissions reduction that piqued the interest of Scugog's elected leaders.

"I think there's a point at which you have to look at the corporate program and see which department can help meet your carbon dioxide reduction goals," said Mayor Pearce.

If all of the vehicles in the Township's fleet could reduce emissions by that much, and save fuel costs on top of that, "you'd have a different story," she said.

With the purchase of that first hybrid vehicle, the "fire department has managed to find us not a large, but a significant, carbon dioxide emission reduction through one vehicle," said the mayor. "I don't want to underestimate that."

Rob Gonnermann, Scugog's deputy fire chief, added, "If we can save anything as far as carbon dioxide goes, we're happy with that."

Later in the discussion, Bev Hendry, Scugog's chief administrative officer, noted that "cost is important, but sometimes you have to weigh off against the objective you want to achieve."

Since the Township purchased its hybrid SUV in March 2007, alternate fuel technology has advanced quickly, said Paul Phillips, of Taylor Ford Sales in Port Perry, on Monday.

Hybrid vehicles "definitely have a place in today's society, but if you're buying it to commute to the city or whip along country roads, well, it's more designed for city stop-and-start driving and built-up areas," said Mr. Phillips.

"As soon as you get out on the open road, you're running on a four-cylinder gas engine."

He added, however, that hybrid vehicles are still easier on fuel than regular cars and trucks.