Get your EV motor running! The Manchester Council on Aging added the town’s first electric COA van to its fleet on Wednesday, January 24. Senior residents will be transported in a sustainable style thanks to a special grant received from massDOT. The State’s Community Transit Grant covered 80% of the cost of the new van and Town voters appropriated the other 20% at a prior Town Meeting.
The new Ford E Transit E van is equipped with an electric lift to transport up to eight passengers, including two wheelchairs. A single battery charge will cover over 100 miles before plugging into the new COA charging station behind Town Hall. A second new COA Van, with a conventional engine, is currently on order thanks to the same massDOT Community Transit Grant, which will also cover 80% of the cost.
The Friends of the Council on Aging will donate 20% of this van’s cost. The Council on Aging has four passenger vans in its fleet primarily used to transport residents to doctor’s appointments, social events, and field trips. The new vans will replace older vehicles taken out of service.
