A Victoria-based courier company says it plans to nearly double the size of its fleet of hydrogen-fuel-cell electric vehicles.
Geazone Eco-Courier, which operates on the Island and in Greater Vancouver, said it will add nine Toyota Mirai vehicles to its lineup, using $72,000 in rebates from the province’s CleanBC Go Electric Hydrogen Fleet program.
“These rebates will help us continue to invest in more infrastructure and have allowed us to become North America’s first hydrogen-powered courier fleet,” said chief executive Andrew Mitchell.
The company will now have 20 Toyota Mirai alongside its human-powered tricycles and electric five-tonne trucks.
Launched in 2019, the Go Electric Hydrogen Fleet program offers fleet operators $8,000 to a maximum of 35 per cent of selling price for the purchase of a fuel-cell electric vehicle to help businesses reduce emissions.
Energy Minister Bruce Ralston said the goal is to encourage more B.C. companies to switch to clean energy in their day-to-day business.
Stephen Beatty, vice-president of Toyota Canada, said in places like B.C. where the fuelling infrastructure exists, hydrogen-fuel-cell electric vehicles “really are the perfect zero-emission solution for organizations with fleets of high-use vehicles.”
B.C. has the first cluster of public hydrogen-fuelling stations in Canada, and is working to expand its hydrogen-fuelling network.
The province announced a $10-million commitment a year ago to build an additional 10 hydrogen-fuelling stations.
There are currently four public hydrogen-fuelling stations, in Saanich, Vancouver, Burnaby and North Vancouver. Stations in Kelowna and Burnaby are expected to be completed by the end of 2021.
aduffy@timescolonist.com
