Public to drive electric test cars
Members of the public are being asked to vounteer to take part in the government-funded national electric car trials announced today.
The £25m scheme will run for 12 months and see 340 electric vehicles being put through their paces.
Car manufacturers are hoping to discover how electric cars would be used in everyday, ‘real world’ conditions.
Which electric cars are being tested?
- Forty electric Minis will be leased to drivers living in Oxford and the Southeast for one year. In a similar scheme in America, Mini charged its customers the equivalent of £520 per month, a cost that included maintenance and insurance.
- In Glasgow, 40 battery-powered people carriers will be made available by Peugeot. Each car will be tracked using GPS to record the way it is used over the course of the year.
- Mercedes is asking for volunteers to test 100 of its latest electric Smart cars available in the west Midlands and in London.
- The trials will also feature a small number of electric sports cars including models from the Lightning car company, Westfield and Delta Motorsport.
| Some the electric cars on offer | Speed | Range | Charge time | Looks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mini E | 95mph | 150 miles | 12 hours |  |
| Lightning | 130mph | 180 miles | 4.5 hours |  |
| Peugeot eExpert | 70mph | 100miles | tbc |  |
| Smart E Drive | 60mph | 50-70miles | 8hours |  |
| Ford Focus EV | tbc | 80miles | tbc |  |
- £25m boost for electric cars
- Futuristic electric car receives 4,000 orders
- A fast electric car that works
- New hydrogen car will be leased like mobile phone
- Green Car of the Year 2009
- ETA Car Buyers’ Guide
- Roads can produce electricity
- Technology Strategy Board website
- £5,000 subsidy for electric car buyers
- Every car in Sweden electric by 2030
- Tesla S electric saloon revealed
- Electric car with five seats launched
- Free parking for electric cars withdrawn
- Electric cars – tell me more
- London taxis may go electric
- Dyson to build electric car
What is the ETA?
The ETA is an organisation providing motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products – including a specialised service for electric vehicles.
