BARRIE – A tundra beetle used to ferry tourists on a polar bear discovery adventure in Churchill, Manitoba, has had a green makeover.
Frontiers North Adventures says one of its tundra trolleys, which can accommodate 40 passengers, has switched from diesel to electric.
Errors are converted using a replacement battery from the e-bus. It is now the first of its kind in the world.
“By switching from diesel to electric, we would – in a normal season – we would reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by about 8.3 tons of carbon dioxide,” said John Gunter, CEO and president. of Frontiers North Adventures, told CTV News.
Gunter said the tundra beetle was transported from Churchill to Winnipeg, where it was lifted out of the frame.
“We launched the diesel undercarriage and we rolled in a new frame, new suspension, new axle, new engine, new engine,” he said.
In a blog post last week, the company said the project, carried out in partnership with Red River College, aims to transform one of the strollers in its fleet.
Frontiers North Adventures says the partnership is “made possible through Manitoba’s Climate Search and Conservation, Vehicle Technology Center, and support and engineering services from the Manitoba Center for Energy and Technology. RRC Polytech.”
In a blog post, the company says the new EV Tundra Buggy emits “zero emissions and minimal sound,” helping to deliver a “less intrusive experience for our guests and wildlife.”
According to the post, the bug was released to roam the subarctic tundra near Churchill “among the wild polar bears” on November 20.
In addition to contributing to the reduction of the company’s greenhouse gas emissions, “delivering this EV Tundra Buggy itself will be a silent touring experience for our guests,” says Gunter.
“The EV Tundra Buggy makes it easier for machines to penetrate the background of any Churchill guest’s wildlife experience,” Gunter said in the blog post, Gunter said in the blog post.
The company says it plans to convert all 12 tundra buses in its fleet from diesel to electric power before the end of the decade.
“As we continue to transform our remaining Tundra Buggy fleet, our greenhouse gas emissions could reduce by more than 3,600 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 25 years,” the blog post reads.
.
