Green agenda driving force behind electric car club

RESIDENTS in North Solihull are being urged to take advantage of a new car club which has been launched in the local area.
E-Car Club allows local people to hire one of 18 electric Renaults which are being placed at their disposal.
Vehicles are available to hire for as little as £3.50 an hour as part of a scheme designed to provide a cheap alternative to taxis.
It has been decided to pilot the initiative in the north of the borough, where there are thousands of people who drive but don’t own a car.
And the fact that the fleet is entirely electric is seen as a step on the road to encouraging more people to use the greener cars.
Coun Ted Richards, cabinet member for transport and highways, said Solihull Council was committed to promoting electric vehicles, as part of efforts to tackle air pollution.
Speaking at the initiative’s official launch, in his own Castle Bromwich ward, he said he had high hopes for the scheme.
“This is an exciting project for the north of the borough, providing a flexible and affordable option to residents.”
The hatchbacks have a range of up to 180 miles on a single charge and can be connected to the facilities which have been specially installed in the area.
The charging points have been created at locations including Parkfield Drive and Burtons Farm Park, in Smith’s Wood.
Some of the cars have been emblazoned with eye-catching artwork, to help promote the scheme, with others having rather plainer paint jobs.
Russell Fenner, E-Car Club’s head of innovation, believed that attitudes to the technology had seen a significant shift since the start of the decade.
He pointed out that models were becoming a more common sight nationwide and that the Government was moving to phase out petrol-powered vehicles
“You did used to get those questions about how fast they could go and things like that, but that’s changing.”
The West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, also gave his wholehearted backing to the car club.
“Apart from the environmental benefits from this scheme which I am sure we all support, we are also helping to reinforce our region’s position as the centre for battery-powered vehicle design and manufacture.”
While car clubs have previously been launched in different parts of the UK, they tend to target more affluent city areas.
There are hopes that the success of a scheme in an area where car ownership is lower will prove that similar initiatives can be rolled out elsewhere