Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action strengthens operational fleet with acquisition of nine electric pick-up vehicles - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, delivered five electric pick-up trucks today. They are part of a set of vehicles purchased to expand the operational fleet of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action across all the islands of the archipelago. The remaining four vehicles are expected to arrive in January.

According to the government official, "this is an investment of over €730,000, under a pilot action to promote the decarbonisation of regional public administration transport, integrated and co-financed by the LIFE IP CLIMAZ Project.

"This significant investment, within the scope of the LIFE IP CLIMAZ Project, has led to the unprecedented introduction of electric vehicles of this type into the Regional Public Administration, specifically with their allocation to the Environment and Climate Action Services of the nine Azorean islands," he added.

Alonso Miguel emphasised that "the acquisition of these vehicles represents another specific step towards the decarbonisation of the Regional Public Administration's vehicle fleet, intending to demonstrate that it is now possible to provide highly complex and demanding operational services using more sustainable technological solutions.

The FOTON New e-Tuland 2025 PT electric pick-up trucks stand out for their robustness and versatility. These five-seater double-cab vehicles feature four doors and offer both comfort and functionality for operational work teams. They have an open metal cargo box with a useful volume of 1 m³ and a load capacity of up to 905 kg.

The Regional Secretary added that these are "fully electric vehicles that contribute to reducing emissions and operating costs, integrating a 130 kW (177 hp) motor and an 88.6 kWh battery, with a range varying between 360 km in the WLTP combined cycle and 470 km in an urban environment, effectively meeting the daily needs of the operational services of this government." 

"The safety equipment on these vehicles includes ABS, stability and traction control systems, LED lights, power steering and practical solutions such as tow hooks and wall boxes for charging, reinforcing their professional and sustainable purpose," he continued.

The Regional Secretary for the Environment explained that "the use of pick-up vehicles is essential for certain public administration departments, which involve more operational tasks. This initiative will allow us, for the first time, to assess the actual working capabilities and performance of electric vehicles of this type in demanding environments and conditions, namely rugged and uneven terrain, such as those where the operational services of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action operate daily."

“In addition to the direct environmental benefits, this measure contributes to reducing fleet operating and maintenance costs, while strengthening the consistency of regional public policies in the field of climate action and energy transition,” he added.

Alonso Miguel pointed out that the new vehicles meet the goals set by the LIFE IP CLIMAZ project. They contribute directly to the implementation of one of the measures provided for in the Azores Regional Climate Change Programme, specifically measure TM3, which aims to promote the decarbonisation of the vehicle fleet in the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

The Governor emphasised that the LIFE IP CLIMAZ Project, coordinated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, is a key element in the implementation of the Regional Climate Change Programme, with a budget of around €20 million, 60% of which is co-financed by the European Union, to be implemented between 2021 and 2030.

The Regional Secretary also pointed out that, within the scope of the LIFE IP CLIMAZ project, “a series of complementary measures and interventions are planned, such as the installation of 40 charging stations for electric vehicles. This will contribute to the increased availability of public infrastructures and the demonstration of the use of electric vehicles for different purposes and services within the regional and local administration.”

“We want the Azorean public administration to lead by example, adopting solutions that contribute to energy transition, carbon neutrality and sustainable development in the region,” concluded Alonso Miguel.