Member Article

Thames Valley to join UK electric car vision

Electric Car Hire is hoping the Thames Valley’s thriving businesses will drive forward the UK’s vision of reducing emissions and creating a greener future.

The Twyford-based firm is offering its electric car rental services to companies across Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, and Wiltshire, and will drop-off one of its zero-emission BMW i3 hatchbacks to a business’s door, from £21.50 per day* or £235 per week.

As more charging points are being installed throughout the region– helped by a £9 million Government investment across the UK last year and the Go Ultra Low campaign – using an electric car does not need to be a one-off experience but businesses can instead use them to establish green initiatives as part of their corporate social responsibility strategy.

There are currently five charging points in Slough, six in Reading, seven in and around Basingstoke, and more than a dozen throughout Oxfordshire.

Electric Care Hire is urging companies, including those based in the Reading International, Green Park, Acre, Suttons, Arlington, Slough and Newbury business parks, to give their employees access to a vehicle for at least a week in order to make an environmental difference.

The critically acclaimed BMW i3 has a 95 mile range, on just a 30-minute charge thanks to the ‘DC fast charge’ device, allowing Thames Valley drivers to venture into London or even head west towards Swindon and Bristol as well as cities on the south coast for important appointments.

This means companies will not only cut their emissions, but save money on employee expenses – usually made up of train fares and petrol – when they visit firms outside of the region.

Ian McGregor, director at Emulate3D, based at Reading Enterprise Centre, saw his fuel bill fall by 80% after the company hired three BMW i3s from Electric Car Hire.

He said: “Electric vehicles are tax efficient and a real pleasure to drive. We wanted to reduce the company’s carbon footprint, and we have seen the difference, with one of the cars making a 65 mile round trip four times a week.

“I’d absolutely recommend electric cars to other Thames Valley businesses as they are currently an attractive mix of doing the right thing, government incentives, and a pleasurable driving experience.”

Thames Valley drivers will be joining a motoring revolution after the European electric vehicle market grew by 37 per cent last year.

The UK recorded the biggest increase and also has the highest number of new electric vehicles, with more than 15,000 on the road.

Matthew Munson, managing director of Electric Car Hire, commented: “The Thames Valley is quickly growing into an economic hub, full of innovative, forward-thinking businesses.

“We are hoping these companies will join our ambition to reduce these emissions across the region and we can offer a convenient service for an affordable price.

“There are more charging points popping up across the Thames Valley all the time, making our fleet of cars more accessible than ever before.

“I’d also challenge companies to take on an electric car for a week and see how much they could save on employee expenses.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Electric Car Hire .