Birmingham begins electric car trial

Birmingham City Council, in the UK, has launched its trial of a new electric car, as part of a strategic collaboration with car manufacturer Nissan Motor GB, to widen its fleet of green vehicles.

The Adults and Communities department’s existing fleet of council vehicles is one of the oldest and in most need of replacement, which is why its Home Care Team, who deliver out-of-hours care to city residents in community settings, have been selected to take part in this electric car trial.

“This is a great opportunity, through our partnerships with Nissan and Cenex, to look at how we can make our transport fleet greener and more efficient,” said Councillor John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing. “The Home Care Team will be trying out this new electric vehicle for six months, which will provide a green and efficient resource for the department who generate high mileage as they visit residents across the city. Switching from a diesel to an electric vehicle will help the council save money as well as help the environment.”

During this six-month trial, the council’s Climate Change and Environment team will measure driver use, environmental and economic performance to compare it against mileage and fuel costs of its current diesel vehicles.

“The 100 percent electric Nissan LEAF is increasingly being seen as the vehicle of choice for organisations looking to reduce their carbon footprint and protect themselves against rising fuel costs,” said Matthew Downs, Public Sector Specialist at Nissan Motor GB. “We are confident that the trial will be a success and that those driving the Nissan LEAF will be assured that any journey made is far less detrimental to Birmingham and its population than if it was made in a petrol or diesel car.”

Birmingham City Council will work with Cenex, an independent not-for-profit consultancy specialising in the delivery of projects, supporting innovation and market development, focused on low carbon vehicles and associated energy infrastructure, in developing their first green fleet strategy.

“The trial of the Nissan Leaf within the Adults and Communities department will assist in creating a robust knowledge base for emission reductions, cost savings and reliability that low carbon vehicles can offer the council,” said Keith Budden, Head of Business Development at Cenex.