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Keeping ice rinks smooth is important in Toronto. The city has 60 carbon monoxide spewing Zambonis to prove it. In a place that already has 365 hybrid fleet vehicles, it was only a matter of time before the iconic ice resurfacers got clean. Enter the Finnish-made IceCat.

The IceCat is a zero-emissions all-electric ice resurfacer with a price tag that should make its customers cringe. At $160,000 it's double the price of the traditional Zamboni brand vehicle. Where health and air quality are concerned though, it's a price worth paying for Toronto. According to Mayor David Miller, “In this upcoming ice skating season, the IceCat, Toronto’s first electric ice resurfacer, will help the city go green.”

The National Hockey League is following suit and expects to use IceCats by next season. Hockey fans should write thank you letters for this. The American Journal of Public Health found that use of electric ice resurfacers reduced nitrogen dioxide levels in indoor rinks by 87%. That's enough to make this hockey fan breathe easier tonight.

Source: Wired, Image: IceCat