Amove for Wattle Range Council to dispose of the chief executive’s electric vehicle and buy a more practical model was defeated at the recent monthly meeting.


Council decided to purchase the eco-friendly vehicle on a pilot basis for Ben Gower in 2022 and he submitted a written report on its use to the meeting.


This prompted Councillor Dale Price to submit the sale motion but it was defeated.


Instead, an alternative motion from Councillor Peter Dunnicliff was passed.


Mr Gower has been directed to investigate the viability and financial cost of disposal of his current electric vehicle for a more suitable hybrid vehicle and report back to council with those figures.


According to Mr Gower, the range of the electric vehicle was only 300km on open road travelling and well below the anticipated limit.


He said the lack of rapid charge stations reduced the practicality of using it on trips to Adelaide which was 400km away.


According to Mr Gower, his electric vehicle was awaiting repairs after striking a kangaroo.


He said the benefits of owing an electric vehicle were its low fuel and maintenance costs, government incentives and its driveability.


Cr Price repeatedly referred to the electric vehicle in unflattering terms and said there was difficulty in securing parts and a lack of rapid charge stations.


“When do we ditch it?” Cr Price asked.


“We cannot have a chief executive restricted in his movements.”


Cr David Walshaw suggested that a business case be prepared which took into consideration the pitfalls of owning an electric vehicle in rural areas.