advertisement

Lake County forest preserve goes green with new vehicle

He looms large in the cab, but the fact John Tannahill can fit in the Lake County Forest Preserve District's newest vehicle is another example of its versatility.

"It drives like a little car. It's pretty cool - not like a golf cart," said Tannahill, the district's director of public safety.

Tannahill is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs more than 300 pounds. But personal comfort didn't factor into the district's decision to replace its 20-year-old off-road vehicle with what is thought to be the first all-electric version being used by a local government in the region.

"Being a green organization, we're trying to buy equipment that will do what we need it to do but not leave a carbon footprint," he said. "Right now, this is the only electric vehicle in the fleet. If it works really well, we'll be looking at more."

The Polaris Ranger E/V 4x4 will be used for two main purposes - patrolling the district's 185 miles of trails and navigating various terrains during searches or rescues.

And as the windshield and doors are easily removed, the driver and/or passenger will be more visible and approachable to forest preserve patrons, officials say.

"We can maximize our ability to be around the public and more effectively patrol our areas," patrol officer Brad Ehrhardt said.

Squad cars, trucks and small all-terrain vehicles will still be used by the forest district, and foot, ski, snowshoe and bicycle patrols will continue, officials said.

The Ranger will be used instead of a squad car on the trails. This summer, it will be stationed at the Independence Grove Forest Preserve along the 31.4-mile Des Plaines River Trail, which leads to other connections, officials said. It also can be transported on a trailer to where it is needed.

Because it is silent and has no emissions, the vehicle will be beneficial for trail users as it won't take up as much space as a squad car and won't spook horses, for example, Tannahill said.

"The reason we went electrical is people go out on the trail to walk or ride their bike, they try to get away from noise," he said. "It's the answer to everything."

Considerable research went into the selection, he said. At about $15,000, the cost is slightly less than a comparable gasoline or diesel vehicle, according to Tannahill. Ease-of-use capabilities were other considerations.

The vehicle has three power settings for various uses and can travel 50 miles or 24 hours on the lowest setting. Unlike a hybrid or electric car that needs a charging station, it can be plugged into any standard 110-volt outlet. Top speed is 35 mph.

"I wouldn't have bought one if you needed a special charging station because it would be too much to put them everywhere," Tannahill said. Maintenance basically involves checking the battery fluid levels, suspension and brakes, he added.

Extra features include a winch that can pull 3,500 pounds, a small plow and 360-degree LED lights on top of the vehicle. Tannahill said it was successfully used to plow the parking lot after a 15-inch heavy, wet snow on Nov. 20 and 21.

"This comes as a functional vehicle we can use on a daily basis," he said."

Since 2002, the forest preserve district has replaced some gasoline-powered sedans with electric/gas hybrids but has no all-electric models among its fleet of 95 that includes small and large trucks.

"When those get to their replacement age, we may replace some or all of those with electric vehicles. We're doing the research now," said Mike Tully, chief operations officer.

At the county level, three all-electric sedans were put on the road this past spring as part of a test program, with two for the health department and one for the public defender's office, according to K.C. Doyle, the county's sustainability coordinator.

Two charging stations have been installed, and a third is scheduled to be installed next month at various locations, Doyle added. One of the criteria for where they were assigned was that the vehicles be driven a lot.

Many private companies and public agencies have begun or are studying use of alternative energy vehicles, such as propane or compressed natural gas, according to Samantha Bingham, an environmental policy analyst for the city of Chicago and coordinator for the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition. The coalition provides education and technical assistance to public and private fleet operators, vendors, governments and other entities.

Bingham said a private company is testing use of two all-electric shuttles at O'Hare International Airport, for example, and the number of fleets using electric vehicles is growing.

"All-electric is an excellent option, but, obviously, there are some limitations in range and access to charging stations," she said. "With the current technology, there are niches where it makes sense."

@dhmickzawislak

  Lake County Forest Preserve District Director of Public Safety John Tannahill opens the hood of the new all-electric Polaris Ranger E/V. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Six batteries are used to power the Lake County Forest Preserve District's new Polaris Ranger E/V. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Lake County Forest Preserve District Director of Public Safety John Tannahill describes the newest addition to the fleet, an all-electric Polaris Ranger E/V. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
  Lake County Forest Preserve District Director of Public Safety John Tannahill plugs in the all-electric Polaris Ranger E/V. The all-terrain vehicle can be charged at any standard 110-volt outlet. Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.com
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.