Venson Teams With Npower And Inmotion! To Launch Electric Vehicle Project With Sheffield Council
Local businesses sign up to make the switch to electric cars and vans to cut South Yorkshire’s CO2 emissions.
Venson Automotive Solutions is playing a key role in helping up to 80 businesses across South Yorkshire get on the road to switching from petrol and diesel power to electric vehicles, in a unique plan by Sheffield City Council. Venson is supporting South Yorkshire’s Electric Vehicle project, designed to encourage businesses and their staff to lease electric vehicles for shorter work journeys. The scheme, which is the first of its kind, aims to reduce harmful emissions on the region’s roads and help businesses make vital savings on fuel costs, through an initiative that could be adopted by councils across the UK.
Venson is the chosen vehicle supplier for the Electric Vehicle project in South Yorkshire, which is led by Sheffield City Council on behalf of the government-backed Local Sustainable Transport Fund partnership, Inmotion!, together with npower. Four local councils are taking part – Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. Plug-in vehicles available are Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Renault Twizy and Renault Kangoo van which can travel up to 80 miles.
Eligible businesses can gain access to a grant of up to £10,500 for a Plug-in van and £7,500 for a Plug-in car for a period of up to 48 months, plus an additional grant of £500 towards the cost of installing a workplace charging point. With these grants running a Nissan Leaf can save up to 50% on total running costs compared with that of a small hatchback with even the lowest emissions.
Alan McCleave, Business Development Director of Venson Automotive Solutions comments, “This is an exciting and ground breaking initiative that could serve to lay the path for local businesses throughout the UK to reduce CO2 levels in their region. The financial savings the Plug-in vehicle scheme offers brings businesses the added benefit of improving their bottom line whilst making a valuable contribution to the Government’s sustainability programme.”
Sheffield Cllr Jack Scott adds, “South Yorkshire’s Electric Vehicle scheme is a fantastic way for local businesses to consider and change their employee’s travel behaviour through the option of leasing an electric vehicle for shorter work journeys. Companies making the switch to Plug-in vehicles will see benefits from lower running costs such as no road tax, and a reduction in maintenance costs, as well doing their bit to reduce exhaust emissions and helping to create healthier and cleaner roads in our region.”
Jonathan Woodthorpe, Commercial Development Manager of npower ltd comments, ‘We are delighted to be involved in this scheme, bringing together different aspects of the electric vehicle market. Many initiatives in the past have focussed on charging infrastructure or vehicles alone, this initiative brings the two together. We firmly believe this scheme provides an excellent opportunity for local businesses to understand the opportunities Electric vehicles can bring.
