CAPITOLA TO INTRODUCE ELECTRIC STREET SWEEPER

December 11, 2023

CAPITOLA — The City of Capitola is thrilled to introduce the first electric street sweeper in Santa Cruz County. The street sweeper will be introduced on December 11th at 10 AM at Capitola City Hall. This event will celebrate the City’s first step towards fundamentally improving the way that streets are cleaned in Santa Cruz County.

The purchase of this street sweeper was aided by generous grant awards from Central Coast Community Energy ($250,000) and the Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District ($60,000). The total project cost to purchase the street sweeper was approximately $665,000. This all-electric, zero-emission street sweeper will replace a traditional diesel street sweeper, which has been in operation for over ten years. Over its lifetime, the R3Air electric street sweeper will save 90 tons of carbon emissions. Support of this project helps reduce carbon emissions in the community to meet climate and clean energy goals, in line with Capitola’s Climate Action Plan.

“Capitola is excited to be the first municipal fleet in Santa Cruz County to acquire an all-electric street sweeper. Introducing and using zero-emission vehicles for heavy-duty applications is a milestone for our department and a step towards achieving compliance with the California Air Resources Board’s Advanced Clean Fleets regulation and reaching climate goals. Capitola hopes that in the near future, zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles will play a larger role in reducing Capitola’s carbon footprint and pollutant emissions,” said Jessica Kahn, Director of Public Works, who oversees Capitola’s vehicle fleet.

The sweeper is manufactured by Global Environmental Products, the world’s leading manufacturer of street sweeping equipment. The Capitola Public Works Department will operate the sweeper five days per week to remove leaves and debris from City streets. The sweeper prevents oils, greases, and pollutants from washing into the storm drain system, and ultimately, into Soquel Creek and Monterey Bay. The introduction of this all-electric model will enhance street cleaning efficiency, substantially reduce diesel vehicle emissions, reduce noise during operation, and positively contribute to air quality in the region. The electric sweeper will be in use beginning December 18th.

The introduction event will feature Capitola’s Mayor, City staff, and representatives from Central Coast Community Energy, all of whom are excited that Capitola is paving the way for innovative and sustainable practices in community servicing.

Contact:

Capitola Public Works Department
(831) 475-7300
capitolapwd@ci.capitola.ca.us