NEWARK—The city of Newark has received $532,000 in grant funding from Energize Delaware and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Rebates Program.

Newark will receive $42,000 from DNREC in charging station rebates to supplement the city’s $490,000 award from Energize Delaware to purchase electric vehicles, cover associated contractual work and infrastructure improvements.

Newark is the first Delaware municipality to purchase electric vehicles using Energize Delaware’s EV’s for Municipalities and Local Government grant.

"Newark is proud to be a sustainability leader in Delaware," said Newark Chief Procurement & Projects Officer Jeff Martindale. "The grant funding will allow us to expand our electrified fleet and increase the number of charging spaces by 200%, while also planning for an expansion of electric vehicles in the future."

The Energize Delaware funding will be used to purchase four electric vehicles, two electric mowers and six charging stations throughout the city, as well as covering the cost of an electric charging station feasibility study.

To date, the Newark Parks & Recreation Department has received two electric mowers and the Newark Police Department has received a Ford Lightning F-150.

The department is the first police agency in Delaware to add a Ford Lightning to its fleet. Last month, Newark’s Administration Department received a Nissan Leaf, and the Electric Department received a Volkswagen ID.4 to continue the city’s push toward green energy.

The charging stations funded through the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s grant award will be added to the Newark Police Department parking lot, the city’s field operations complex, the Newark City Hall parking lot and Municipal Lot 1.