NAPPANEE โ It was a celebratory event in Nappanee Thursday morning as city officials took ownership of its first electric vehicle โ a Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup truck.
McCormick Motors hosted the event, which included a ribbon cutting, luncheon and what McCormick Motors President Tom Nunemaker called a โfun ride and driveโ, giving anyone who wanted the opportunity to test drive a Silverado EV or a Blazer EV the chance to do so in what he called the โlaunch zoneโ across the street after registering and signing a waiver.
City Planner Todd Nunemaker spoke on behalf of the city.
โThis is an exciting occasion, celebrating a significant milestone as we accept delivery and unveiling of our first EV, the Silverado,โ he said. โThis event marks a new chapter in our cityโs commitment to sustainability and innovation.โ
He thanked Michiana Area Council of Government and the Indiana Office of Energy and Development for the generous grant and dedication to sustainability initiatives saying their โsupport has been instrumental to bringing this project to life.โ
He also gave special thanks to Street Superintendent Brent Warren, who worked with MACOG to apply for the grant.
โThis moment is significant not only because it represents a significant shift towards more sustainable practices but also because it exemplifies our commitment to innovation and cost savings measures,โ he said.
Nunemaker said electric vehicles save money on upfront costs, fuel expenses and maintenance and are โfun to driveโ and said this was โan important step towards a greener future.โ
He shared that the cityโs building maintenance manager, Abbot Martin, will be the one driving the vehicle. He said Martin has been diligently driving his personal vehicle for city business.
โWeโre thrilled to provide Abbot with a dedicated city vehicle, especially one as groundbreaking as the Silverado EV,โ he said.
Nunemaker shared some of the benefits of the electric vehicle, including that environmentally it has zone emissions, is incredibly efficient, has fewer maintenance parts, fuel savings and is a quiet, smoother ride. He said the range is 393 miles on a full charge and since Abbotโs average monthly miles ranges from 350-450 miles, he should only have to charge a couple of times a month.
MACOG Encourages Other Communities to Reach Out
Leah Thill, director of sustainability with MACOG, shared information about the grant Nappanee received and the opportunities for other communities. She said theyโve assisted with grants through their green fleet program since 2017.
Thill said Nappaneeโs first electric vehicle was โone of the projects Iโm most excited about because itโs an electric pickup truck, which didnโt exist a couple of years ago.โ
Thill said Nappaneeโs grant was in the amount of $127,225 and the grant was provided by the Indiana Office of Energy Development through their Energy, Efficiency and Conservation Block grant program through the US Dept. of Energy. She said MACOG assisted with the grant along with their partner at Drive Clean Indiana.
The city is also now eligible for the federal clean vehicle credit for commercial entities that local governments, schools and non-profits can now receive in the amount of $7,500 per vehicle.
โBetween the two incentives the city should pay nothing for either vehicle and the fleet charging and installation at city hall,โ Thill said. โItโs real exciting to have this completely covered because itโs new so that helps offset risk, allowing them to aggressively pilot the vehicle in everyday applications.โ
She said she didnโt want them to โbabyโ the vehicle, but instead to โdrive it hard, especially in winter and let us know your experiences and share them with other communities.โ
Thill said Nappanee was ahead in terms of getting the vehicles in, but three others also received grants, including the Town of Walkerton whoโll be receiving a pursuit-rated with modifications for police vehicle, which she said would be the first fully electric police SUV in the region.
Thill encouraged other communities to contact her if theyโre interested in electric vehicles because they just applied for a grant for 64 electric vehicles through the US Environmental Protection Agencyโs CPRG (Climate, Pollution Reduction Grant).
She said theyโd find out in August and if they get it, it would cover 80% of the cost of the vehicle, plus the federal tax credits. Thill said there are 35 cities and towns in MACOGโs region so โhopefully every community could get 1-3 vehicles regardless of its size.โ
Todd Nunemaker said the city is also expecting a Chevrolet Equinox EV later this year or in early 2025 which would be driven by the cityโs building inspector Steve Saylor.
โWeโre embracing the future of transportation, and this initiative is a testament to the cityโs dedication to sustainability, cost efficiency and innovation,โ he said.
