Parc Safari in Quebec has been provided new electric trucks this summer in aid of reducing noise and eliminate emissions, which will benefit the welfare of animals and visitors.
The animals at Parc Safari will be able to go about their day a lot of more quietly thanks to the delivery of nine electric bush trucks.
“We have dramatically changed what the guest experience is by moving to electric bush trucks,” says Jean-Pierre Ranger, the owner of Parc Safari, in an interview with Electric Autonomy.
“We’re moving away from 10,000 gas-propelled vehicles [per year] to a guided tour of the drive-thru Safari, which brings our guests as close to the animal as they are used to.”
The electric bush trucks are actuallParc Safariy Lion Electric Lion6 trucks, inspired by African safari vehicles. These trucks are equipped with 50 passenger seats and are wheelchair accessible.
The initiative to introduce electric trucks at Parc Safari has been nearly 15 years in the making. It began in 2010 when Ranger visited the Shanghai World Expo in China, where he saw all-electric vehicles being used there.
Going electric is “a decision that we have pondered with since 2010,” says Ranger. “Our model is similar to what Disney did with its Kilimanjaro Safaris [at the Walt Disney World Resort],” says Ranger, but after seeing the Expo in China, he realized that he “wanted definitely to contribute to the reduction of the emission of carbon in the atmosphere.”
However, it took several years to find a Canadian company capable of realizing his vision. Step forward Quebec-based Lion Electric.
Each Lion Electric truck costs $240,000 and the vehicles have a range of 350 kilometres.
In addition to introducing electric trucks, Parc Safari has installed 10 electric charging stations specifically to support its fleet. For EV-driving guests, the park offers a parking lot equipped with six additional charging stations.
Ranger adds that the park plans to install 100 more charging stations to accommodate more electric vehicles in the future. The parking area currently has space for 1,800 vehicles.
“Economically, moving from petrol to electricity makes sense, especially in Quebec, where electricity tariffs are very low,” added Ranger.
Electric trucks are also quiet and produce no vibrations or pollution that adversely impact visitors and animals. The introduction of the nine electric trucks has also eased traffic density in the park.
“I think we’ve [improved] our product and our services. We took it a step beyond what exists anywhere in the world. I think we’ve set in motion an example that may have followers in the not-too-distant future,” finished Ranger.
Images: Parc Safari
