Islanders get plugged in to electric cars

Thursday 09 June 2016

Jersey’s eco-active team are hoping to get more people making the switch to electric cars, bikes and motorbikes - and they've already had quite a few people going green for their commute.

A group of Islanders have traded in their cars for a week and are out test-driving some more environmentally friendly models. At a launch this morning, States Members were joining some of the people who have been working on the scheme to learn more about it.

The launch co-incides with Green Travel Day today and this morning drivers picked up the keys to a range of electric vehicles including 4 x 4’s, vans and electric motorbikes.  

Eco-Active Business Officer James Le Ruez said: “I’ve been driving one over the weekend. They are great cars for Jersey, they are so much more environmentally friendly.

“They are really cheap to run, the costs per mile are extremely low, the servicing costs are low, they are cheap to park, eligible for the half-price parking permit in all the public car parks.

“We think they are great, the carbon emissions are extremely low, they are good for the environment, they are very good in terms of air pollution, there is no exhaust so if you are in slow moving traffic, there’s non of those pollutions in the air.”

The eco-active team hope the drivers will log their experiences on social media and encourage more drivers to make the switch.