Goodbye gas guzzlers: A state grant is helping fund new electric vehicles in Lake Grove
Lake Grove officials think they have a solution to fluctuating fuel prices.
The Village of Brookhaven has purchased three electric sedans to replace aging gasoline-powered vehicles used by law enforcement officers and building inspectors.
Combined with plans to charge the new vehicles at the village charging station, officials believe their fuel bills from the building inspection and code departments will virtually disappear.
“Our advantage is that we have solar panels on the roof of our garage,” Mayor Robert Scottoline told Newsday. “We’re solar-powered, so it’s free money for us.”
The village has purchased new vehicles in the past two years for a total of $85,777, Village Clerk Kara Haufler said. The vehicles included two Chevrolet Bolts purchased in June 2021 for $28,494 each and another Bolt purchased in July for $28,789, she said.
The purchases were partially offset by a $22,500 grant announced Dec. 5 by state Department of Environmental Protection officials. The Lake Grove grant was one of $567,500 in grants awarded for electric vehicles purchased by 10 municipalities across the state, officials said.
Lake Grove was the only municipality in Suffolk and Nassau counties to receive a grant. The state awarded New York $367,500 for 49 electric vehicles.
State officials want to make it “more affordable for communities to green their fleets and switch to cleaner vehicles, which will lower fuel costs for taxpayers,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggas said in a statement.
Electric vehicle purchases on Long Island have grown dramatically in recent years and are expected to continue to grow.
The number of electric vehicles registered on Long Island has nearly doubled from about 17,000 two years ago to 32,000 now and could rise sharply to 180,000 over the next five years, Long Island State and Energy officials said.
Lake Grove officials decided to go electric after retiring the Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Taurus and Ford Escape, which had been on the road for 17 to 23 years, Scottoline said.
“The vehicles we had were old and rancid,” he said, adding that they were often in the garage for repairs. “We’re saving a fair amount of money.”
Electric cars can go 270 to 280 miles between charges, Scottoline said. Two cars will be used by the village code inspectors and the other by the building inspector.
“Adjusting their use is essentially nothing. The only thing is that they don’t make noise,” said the mayor. “We’re three square miles, so they don’t go very far.”
This small village had 11,092 residents in 2021, according to the US Census. About half of the Smith Haven shopping center is located in the village, which is also home to other large shopping centers.
Scottaline said the new vehicles will be well-used because village code and building inspectors are on the road during the day, spotting potential violations.
“These are vehicles that leave every day,” he said. “Not to bash people, but we like things to look nice.”
Lake Grove officials think they have a solution to fluctuating fuel prices.
The Village of Brookhaven has purchased three electric sedans to replace aging gasoline-powered vehicles used by law enforcement officers and building inspectors.
Combined with plans to charge the new vehicles at the village charging station, officials believe their fuel bills from the building inspection and code departments will virtually disappear.
“Our advantage is that we have solar panels on the roof of our garage,” Mayor Robert Scottoline told Newsday. “We’re solar-powered, so it’s free money for us.”
The village has purchased new vehicles in the past two years for a total of $85,777, Village Clerk Kara Haufler said. The vehicles included two Chevrolet Bolts purchased in June 2021 for $28,494 each and another Bolt purchased in July for $28,789, she said.
The purchases were partially offset by a $22,500 grant announced Dec. 5 by state Department of Environmental Protection officials. The Lake Grove grant was one of $567,500 in grants awarded for electric vehicles purchased by 10 municipalities across the state, officials said.
Lake Grove was the only municipality in Suffolk and Nassau counties to receive a grant. The state awarded New York $367,500 for 49 electric vehicles.
State officials want to make it “more affordable for communities to green their fleets and switch to cleaner vehicles, which will lower fuel costs for taxpayers,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggas said in a statement.
Electric vehicle purchases on Long Island have grown dramatically in recent years and are expected to continue to grow.
The number of electric vehicles registered on Long Island has nearly doubled from about 17,000 two years ago to 32,000 now and could rise sharply to 180,000 over the next five years, Long Island State and Energy officials said.
Lake Grove officials decided to go electric after retiring the Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Taurus and Ford Escape, which had been on the road for 17 to 23 years, Scottoline said.
“The vehicles we had were old and rancid,” he said, adding that they were often in the garage for repairs. “We’re saving a fair amount of money.”
Electric cars can go 270 to 280 miles between charges, Scottoline said. Two cars will be used by the village code inspectors and the other by the building inspector.
“Adjusting their use is basically nothing. The only thing is that they don’t make noise,” said the mayor. “We’re three square miles, so they don’t go very far.”
This small village had 11,092 residents in 2021, according to the US Census. About half of the Smith Haven shopping center is located in the village, which is also home to other large shopping centers.
Scottaline said the new vehicles will be well-used because village code and building inspectors are on the road during the day, spotting potential violations.
“These are vehicles that leave every day,” he said. “Not to bash people, but we like things to look nice.”