Video: Minister Burch On Electric Vehicles
[Updated] Minister Lt/Col David Burch is holding a press conference today [Sept 13] at the Government Quarry Depot in Hamilton Parish to “provide an update on a project to introduce electric vehicles to the Government fleet.” We will have additional information later on, and you can watch live video below.
Update 1.39pm: Minister of Public Works Lt. Col. David Burch’s remarks follow below:
Good morning and welcome to the Government Quarry. I am pleased to be joined by a Platoon today – Mr. Kirk Outerbridge, Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mark Fields, Acting Depot Manager, Mr. Tahir Shawki, Transport Foreman, Mr. Tarik Christopher, Acting Chief Engineer, Mr. Colvin Manning, Electrical Supervisor, Mr. Rico Weldon, Management Trainee, Mr. Glen Smith, Managing Director of Auto Solutions and Mr. Harry Andrews, Sales Manager at Auto Solutions.
The Ministry of Public Works maintains over 500 Government vehicles. That 500 consists of tractors, motorcycles, Heavy trucks, Bulldozers, Concrete mixers and 119 GP cars – to name a few. The average age of a government vehicle is 10+ years and as any mechanic will tell you, the older a car gets, the harder and more expensive it is to maintain. Through the Ministry of Transport’s “EVolve Bermuda” policy, this Government is committed to an eco-friendlier future for generations to come.
This initiative is intended to foster the development of the renewable energy industry in order to help Bermuda achieve its Net-Zero goal by:
- 1. encouraging the growth of the electric automotive market in Bermuda
- 2. reducing the number of internal combustion engine [ICE] vehicles being imported
Whilst the overall draft national policy is advancing in unison with our industry partners, the Ministry of Public Works has been diligently preparing for this transition for some years now. As one of the larger procurers of vehicles on island, to lead by example, we have committed to electrifying the Government vehicle fleet through a phased approach by replacing aging assets with EVs when available. A few years ago, we purchased six EVs as a pilot project that are currently being used by public servants as well as the purchase of two electric bikes for the Bermuda Post Office under the Electric Motorcycle Pilot Programme.
Earlier this year, the public will recall the purchasing of five EVs to replace a portion of the district Nurse’s Fleet at the Department of Health. During the Budget Debate in March this year I set out a plan to replace the ministerial fleet of 13 cars and provided funding in that budget to do so. The Ministry issued a Request for Proposal in September 2023 to procure 13 new sedan-style fully electric passenger vehicles to replace the depreciated assets.
Three submissions were received, however, two did not meet the mandatory criteria and the companies were given the opportunity to rectify the respective submissions. Neither company elected to correct the errors within the required timeframe. The single valid submission by Auto Solutions Ltd. was then reviewed in accordance with the RFP rules and the Code of Conduct for Project Management and Procurement by an evaluation team that determined that the tender submitted by Auto Solutions Ltd. was best value. The company has displayed their understanding of the requirements and budgeted accordingly while maintaining a very competitive price.
Auto Solutions offered a further 8.9% discount if the cars were paid for in advance – we accepted that offer. I won’t say how much we projected the price to be but what we are paying is lower than that projection. With this said, I am pleased to announce the further expansion of the Government’s EV fleet in partnership with Auto Solutions Ltd, by the purchase of 13 Hyundai KONA EVs to replace the Government ministerial fleet at a cost of $579,996.95 or $44,615.15 each. As I have said before, the current cars frequently break down with increasing regularity.
Replacement parts to carry out the necessary repairs are becoming a challenge to procure due to the age of the vehicle and can take months to be imported. In fact, out of the 13-car fleet, six are out of service due to maintenance and repairs. The newest Toyota Corolla model vehicle used in the ministerial fleet is more than 12 years old.
Last week, a Minister drove into the Cabinet Office and their vehicle lost all transmission control. When car was placed in reverse – the car continued to drive forward, when the car was placed in neutral, the car continued to drive forward. As shocking and dangerous as this may sound, this is not the first time that this has happened. About a year ago, the same issue took place with another vehicle.
This car is 20 years old. With regard to the electrical infrastructure for these newly acquired assets, EV charging stations have been installed at the Sessions House parking areas. This is in addition to charging stations already installed at the Cabinet Office and the Workforce Development parking lot. With the assistance of Auto Solutions Ltd, it is anticipated that these new purchases will save the Government approximately $55,000 per vehicle over its respective lifetime in maintenance and fuel costs, giving a total savings of $715,000 for the 13 cars.
Additionally, with the discount received for purchasing the vehicles in bulk, the Government essentially received 1 free vehicle.
So, you will see four cars here today – the remainder will arrive three at a time – over the next few weeks with the next batch due September 30th. Ministers are being introduced to the new car and provided with an orientation before being assigned one. Three of these will be assigned to the 3 ministers that have the oldest cars – 24 years and the fourth vehicle will be used for the orientation of other ministers.
Before I invite Glen Smith, the managing director of Auto Solutions, to speak, I would like to take the opportunity to thank his team for being an instrumental partner in this initiative and we look forward to working with them over the next few years. The adoption of EVs supports Bermuda’s environmental goals by reducing emissions and promoting cleaner air.
As I said before, the Lower fuel and maintenance costs will provide financial savings for the Government, allowing more resources to be allocated to other endeavors. Thank you.
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The Government is purchasing EVs and to my knowledge, not one MP and not one Minister has personally spent their OWN money on one. The head of the largest environmental group in Bermuda does not own an electric vehicle.
Again:
- Let’s not forget the thousands and thousands of underage children in Africa mining rare earths under horrible working conditions to feed the demand for EV batteries. But hey, you feel good because you are saving the planet.
- Let’s not forget the horrific environmental damage being done by mining rare earths to supply raw materials for EV batteries. But hey, you feel good because you are saving the planet.
- Let’s not forget the particulate matter coming off of the expensive EV tires that wear down faster than regular tires is unhealthy to breathe. But hey, you feel good because you are saving the planet.
- Let’s not forget the higher cost of EVs vs evil fossil fuel-powered vehicles (ICE).
- Let’s not forget that EVs are not “green” by any logical definition of the word. No matter what you are smoking, EVs are not green. But hey, you feel good because you are saving the planet.
- Let’s not forget that EVs are charged by evil fossil fuels.
- Let’s not forget the cost to taxpayers to build a charging infrastructure for government EVs.
- Let’s not forget the damage to our already poor roads caused by the heavier EVs and the MILLIONS of dollars it will cost to upgrade just half of our roads to handle the weight of EVs. All the primary roads will have to be repaved in the future to support the weight of all the electric cars the Government wants on the road. Using 140 miles of paved public roads, estimating 50% of main/major roads is 70 miles. Using $750,000 to $1,000,000 per mile TODAY comes out as $52.5 to $70 MILLION!
- Let’s not forget the millions of dollars in lost fuel tax revenue that the government has no clue how to recover that lost revenue. Nothing has been announced. Duh…
- Let’s not forget the quality problems with EVs vs. ICE per Consumer Reports and the expense of replacement parts.
- Let’s not forget that most Americans who purchased an EV would not purchase on again.
- Let’s not forget that Bermuda’s salt air environment does not bode well for EVs.
- Let’s not forget the higher insurance costs for an EV vs. an ICE.
- Let’s not forget that EV manufacturers recommend only charging the battery to 80% to make it last. Do you fill up your car’s gas tank 80%?
- Let’s not forget that the Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service is not trained nor equipped to put out an EV fire. How much will the training and equipment cost? When will the training begin? How much will the specialized equipment cost?
AP: It took 50,000 gallons of water to put out Tesla Semi fire in California, US agency says
WASHINGTON (AP) — California firefighters had to douse a flaming battery in a Tesla Semi with about 50,000 gallons (190,000 liters) of water to extinguish flames after a crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.
In addition to the huge amount of water, firefighters used an aircraft to drop fire retardant on the “immediate area” of the electric truck as a precautionary measure, the agency said in a preliminary report.
Firefighters said previously that the battery reached temperatures of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (540 Celsius) while it was in flames.
- Let’s not forget that taxpayers are paying for electricity that is lost while charging an EV.
Dagen News – 09-12-2024 MSN
“Charging your electric car might be costing you more power—and money—than you realize.
A surprising amount of electricity is lost during the charging process, and some models are much worse than others, according to a new study by the German automobile group ADAC.
Testing over 90 electric cars currently on the market, ADAC found that, on average, 14.5% of the electricity used at charging stations never even makes it to the car’s batteries.” (transmission loss, keeping the battery warm during charging, etc.)
That’s energy—and cash—disappearing into thin air.
(Would you not be outraged if you paid an extra 14.5% for gasoline that did not go into your tank?)
etc, etc, etc.
“Let’s not forget that EVs are charged by evil fossil fuels.”
Or to put the same thought in plain language, over 99% of all electricity produced in Bermuda is produced by BELCO from burning fossil fuels, oil.
But, but, Net Zero! Net Zero!
So, every day it rains government gets a day off? Nice gig.
I seem to recall 7 of the brand-new electric buses being pulled off the road because they malfunctioned when it rained. 10% of the 70 buses, that we know of. Government never publishes any maintenance records.
Imagine an EV parked near the ocean night after night. We already know that salt air and mist eat away at regular cars. Imagine just one battery going off from the exposure. Now imagine Bermuda Fire & Rescue Service having to push the burning car into the water with a bulldozer to extinguish the burning car. That will truly be a Kodak Moment.
Remember, the same company that advised the Government on purchasing electric buses from China is also consulting on electric car policy. From the video conference months ago, the RMI representative stated that one reason to go all EV was for “bragging rights.”
The newest Toyota Corolla is 12 yrs old but Parks, W&E, Health Dept and others get brand new double cab 4×4 Toyota Hilux pickups after destroying last years’ ones.
Since Government never releases vehicle maintenance reports:
- Let’s not forget the quality problems with EVs per Consumer Reports and the expense of replacement parts.
Consumer Reports: Electric Vehicles Are Less Reliable Than Conventional Cars – November 29, 2023
Electric vehicle owners continue to report far more problems with their vehicles than owners of conventional cars or hybrids, according to Consumer Reports’ newly released annual car reliability survey. THE SURVEY REVEALS THAT, ON AVERAGE, EVS FROM THE PAST THREE MODEL YEARS HAD 79 PERCENT MORE PROBLEMS THAN CONVENTIONAL CARS. Based on owner responses on more than 330,000 vehicles, the survey covers 20 potential problem areas, including engine, transmission, electric motors, leaks, and infotainment systems.