Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.
These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.
According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”
These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
Electrek’s Take
I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.
We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.
I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!
Via: WCJB
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