Leicester City Council introduces new EVs to fleet

Leicester City Council has taken delivery of a new fleet of Nissan Leaf electric vehicles which will be placed across the city.

In May, research showed that Leicester’s air pollution levels are exceeding recommended levels, reaching 53mg per cubic metre of air – well above the EU’s regulations of 40mg. The move to replace the council’s aging diesel fleet will help to cut emissions and spread a positive message to the city.

The 10 Nissan Leaf cars will be joined by five larger e-NV200s in the coming weeks. And, if the six month trial is successful, the council will seek to replace a further 95 of their diesel vehicles with ULEV alternatives.

The scheme also includes installing a number of charging points at council offices, depots and other frequently visited locations. Compared to running the older models, the council is expected to save around £1,000 per year for each vehicle.

Councillor Adam Clarke, Assistant City Mayor - Energy and Sustainability said: “Putting these new electric vehicles in place across a wide range of council teams will give us the chance to check their suitability for different uses. We hope that this will encourage other organisations to do the same with their own fleet vehicles.”

The council currently has around 800 diesel vehicles in its fleet and is currently reviewing its fleet with a view to reducing vehicle numbers to around 600.

In a similar way to the council’s plans, renting can be an effective way of experiencing the benefits of EVs and to see first-hand if they would fit in with your everyday life before buying.

Green Motion Leicester is located in the centre of the city on St Nicholas Circle. The branch has an extensive fleet of low CO2, hybrid and plug-in vehicles for both business and leisure clients.

To find out more about the range of vehicles available for hire at the Leicester branch, call 0116 243 7676 today.