The Local Police in Ciutadella took delivery of the newest addition to their fleet last Friday; a Toyota hybrid car, powered by both electricity and petrol. The advantage of this model is that it does not require recharging as the batteries are fed by the movement and inertia generated by the car itself. The Council had to pay almost 29,000 euros for the car, including the cost of adapting it to suit police requirements. The plan is to replace two of the force's twelve vehicles every year, although there are no short-term plans to incorporate any more electric cars.
Island Council
Toyota is expected to sign an agreement this week under which a prototype 100% electric vehicle will be provided for the use of the President of the Island Council, Marc Pons.
The island's governing body itself is negotiating with two manufacturers of electric vehicles for the cession of twelve cars to car hire companies for rental to customers during the tourist season. This forms part of the Island Council's Strategic Plan for Electric Transport which aims to have 1,600 electric cars in circulation by 2015 (750 in car hire fleets, 750 under private ownership and 100 to be used by the authorities).
Over the next four years, 551 recharging points will be set up on the island; 274 of which will be located in hotels, apartments and car hire firms, 208 on public roads, 28 on beaches and 26 on industrial estates and private car parks, including Menorca Airport. Each recharging point will cost between 2,000 and 3,000 euros to install; some of which will be financed by the authorities and others by private companies.
In the President of the Island Council's opinion, Menorca has the ideal geographic characteristics, as well as being a Reserve of the Biosphere, to encourage the use of electric vehicles. According to the Councillor for Transport, Damià Borràs, the most suitable model for use on the island is the electric vehicle fitted with batteries, the annual running cost of which is five times less than a petrol-driven vehicle.