CITY STAFF MAY SHARE ELECTRIC CARS WITH COMMUTERS.

Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer

Metrolink commuters and city staffers could share use of five electric cars that Lancaster is thinking about leasing through a state grant program.

Lancaster will be able to use the five cars under a three-year lease provided the city contributes $27,600 to a matching fund. The cars will be provided under a grant program created to promote programs to improve air quality.

``I think what we're looking for is to promote alternative fuel vehicles,'' said Brian Hawley, Lancaster's director of community development. ``It fits in with the city's `Blue Sky' program created some four years ago to encourage existing and new businesses to bring technologies to protect our clean air.''

The plan is this: commuters would take the cars home in the evening. In the morning, the commuters would plug the cars into a recharging station at the Metrolink station and then catch their trains. About two or three hours later, city staff would pick up the cars and use them during the day.

At about 4:30 p.m., city staff would return the cars to the recharging station, where the commuters would pick them up in the evening.

The cars, General Motors EV-1s, would initially be used just by city staff. Potential users would include code enforcement officers, building inspectors and public works staff.

After the city determines how best to use the cars, the city would look for commuters to join the program. That process just might be as simple as standing out at the train station handing out fliers, Hawley said.

If the matching grant is approved, the cars could be delivered to Lancaster in a matter of days.

Lancaster actually began preparing for electric cars in February 1996 when the city installed six charging stations. The charging stations are able to fully recharge an electric car in eight to 10 hours at 120 volts and two to three hours at 240 volts.