Environment Southland is buying hybrid utes despite one breaking down during testing in remote hill country.
Last week a committee approved replacing up to four vehicles with three BYD Shark 6 plug-in hybrids, even after a test drive went wrong.
Hydrology specialist Michael McDonald was testing the ute when its touchscreen locked up and the vehicle entered "transport mode" — whatever that means.
"During this trip we encountered a fault which could have been a serious problem," McDonald wrote. "We were an hour and a-half from the road end into the middle of nowhere and the vehicle entered transport mode after the touchscreen locked up. Being out of reception we did not realise what it meant."
McDonald said the issue was resolved after climbing halfway up a hill to research and answer calls. Despite that, the ute drove well, had good safety features and he felt it was suitable.
Council general manager corporate services Patrick Ng acknowledged the incident at Thursday's meeting, describing it as an electrical fault under extreme operating conditions.
Ng said more conventional four-wheel-drive vehicles could be used in extreme cases and backed the BYD hybrid as a "positive addition" which would reduce emissions.
The vehicles cost an estimated $60,000 each but can complete the first 100km of each trip in electric-only mode. They come with a five-star safety rating and cost about the same as the diesel vehicles the council typically buys.
Environment Southland will dispose of four vehicles to make space — two Mazda utes, a Mitsubishi ute and a Mazda SUV manufactured between 2017 and 2021. They have between 100,505km and 186,925km on the clock.
The council expects to recoup around $55,000 from the sell-off, which will go towards an estimated replacement cost of $222,000 plus GST for three BYD utes and one MGS5 EV SUV.
Council chairman Jeremy McPhail questioned whether the council could get more than $55,000 for the old vehicles.
Ng said they were historically sold through Turners with an agreed reserve.
Purchasing the BYD utes depends on Dunedin car dealership Andrew Simms setting up in Invercargill within the next few months, otherwise different options would be considered, Ng told Local Democracy Reporting.
The council's fleet has 32 utes, 17 SUVs and one passenger car for 2025.
Final approval depends on the committee's decision being ratified by the full council.