Knocking on the door of Nottingham’s EV uptake

On 8 June, Nottingham played host to the third in the four-event series of electric and plug-in fleet vehicle events. Here, GreenFleet reviews what was a very successful show.

Following its success in the Go Ultra Low (GUL) City Scheme bids, Nottingham City Council hosted the showcase at Nottingham Racecourse, aiming to engage with public sector organisations and local businesses, with a view to stimulating the uptake of electric and plug-in vehicles across the region.

Sponsored by leasing specialists, LeasePlan and Automotive Leasing, and hosted by Quentin Willson, the city’s first major electric vehicle showcase since becoming a GUL City was a resounding success. Around 60 key influencers and fleet decision‑makers joined us on the day, all hungry for more information on the vehicles themselves, leasing options, recharging solutions, infrastructure and tariffs, as well as route optimisation.

Following keynote presentations from Caroline Nicholls, of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, Cllr Corall Jenkins of Nottingham City Council and Judith Eadie from Automotive Leasing, delegates were then allocated a networking group and assigned an agenda that allowed them 30-minute sessions with the manufacturers and other sponsors.

Sessions with BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi and LDV were test drive-focused, while those with LeasePlan, Routemonkey, Quentin Willson and Nottingham City Council were round table discussions.

Test drives
The major electric and PHEV motor manufacturers brought along their best‑selling vehicles for delegates to test drive on the day. BMW’s first electric car, the i3, was available for test drives and delegates were impressed by the amazing range of just over 100 miles, which in the standard comfort driving mode, more than covers the typical driving demands for commuting.

Award-winning vehicles were available from Nissan, such as the e-NV200 – a perfect solution if a small van is what’s required. Featuring an impressive range of 106 miles and zero CO2 emissions, it’s no wonder it scooped the ‘LCV Manufacturer of the Year’ gong at the 2015 GreenFleet Awards. Just as impressive was the e-NV200 Evalia, the seven-seat option, which is ideal for taxi and minicab firms, and then there was the world’s best-selling EV, the Leaf. Now capable of 155 miles on a single charge, this impressive car is set to continue to rule the EV world, and is certain to become more of an everyday sight on the streets of Nottingham.

Mitsubishi also joined us at the show with the award‑winning Outlander PHEV, which offers high economy at just 42g/km CO2. This plug-in hybrid (PHEV) has a combination of a high efficiency petrol engine and an electric battery that drives it, making it capable of an impressive 156mpg. Perfect for long journeys, it also has the 4x4 capabilities that some organisations need, which is why this car has been the best-selling PHEV ever.

And last, but certainly not least, we had a real treat for Sherwood folk. Revealed at the recent CV Show, the new EV80 from LVD, was a UK first for the fleet industry. Back in the UK market, following huge investment from China, this old English brand is back with a huge bang. This sector has been crying out for a fully-electric large panel van, and LDV has delivered. Capable of 130 miles, fully-laden, here at GreenFleet, we predict this van to be a real game-changer, and delegates got to be the first to actually drive the van, way ahead of its arrival on UK roads in the autumn.

Summary
A day full of sunshine was brought to a close with a summary from Quentin Willson, and a prize draw.

In summing up, Willson said: “Today, we truly stand on the brink of an EV revolution. Nottingham clearly has a vision that can make them the envy of the rest of the UK, and today’s event has been a great start to what is sure to become a new-look city. And only with your help [the delegates] can this change really happen.” Overall, GreenFleet Nottingham was a huge success, with many delegates expressing how much they had enjoyed what was a hugely informative and fully interactive day.

If you are a local authority in UK and would like to discuss how we can bring this unique electric vehicle experience to your region to help you instigate change, then please contact Colin Boyton, GreenFleet event manager, on 0208 532 5704 or colin.boyton@psigroupltd.co.uk.

Further information
events.greenfleet.net