Somerset West And Taunton Council is seeking the views of residents, businesses and community organizations for an electric car club to be piloted in Taunton.
A short survey was published online to measure public interest and, pending results, the pilot project could be extended to other areas of the district.
The project is led by the council in partnership with the non-profit social enterprise Co Cars, in order to provide affordable access to electric cars while at the same time supporting the switch to zero-emission modes of transport.
Interest in electric cars has increased 500% since the government announced it would end sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles in 2030. However, electric cars remain too expensive for most drivers and a third of households cannot charge a car at home.
An electric car sharing program would address these challenges. It would be community-run and allow club members to rent electric vehicles from various locations across the district in just 30 minutes for a single all-inclusive price.
In addition to reducing traffic jams, parking and environmental problems, switching to a fossil fuel vehicle that is only used occasionally would help members save money by eliminating the need to own.
Although the survey is focused on Taunton, ideas for locations in other areas are welcomed.
They are also interested in an e-bike sharing program. Since these are electrically assisted, they would be a great alternative for shorter journeys such as commuting, leisure and everyday errands.
Both the car and bike sharing programs support the Council for Carbon Neutrality and Climate Resilience (CNCR) action plan to significantly reduce the district’s CO2 emissions by 2030.
The survey is available at bit.ly/WSomTaunton and will take approximately a month to assess the feasibility of the project.
Cllr Dixie Darch, Executive Member for Climate Change, said, “Our commitment to carbon neutrality by 2030 remains our priority and we are determined to meet key milestones in our carbon neutral and climate resilient action plan.
“We have already introduced a successful e-scooter test in Taunton, which has now been extended to Minehead. Therefore, offering an electric vehicle rental program is the next step towards greener transportation for our communities.
“I encourage residents to take this survey to determine interest and demand. Sharing is a great way to reduce waste from overproduction and save money, CO2 and other emissions that affect our environment. “
Mark Hodgson, Managing Director of Co Cars said, “Over the past 12 months we’ve seen tremendous interest in our shared electric cars and bikes from communities across the region.
“We are very excited to see if we can bring them to the Somerset West and Taunton area as they give people access to the latest technology at an affordable price and help them save money and hassle compared to owning a car. “
The first survey and mailing list are managed by Co Cars and all data collected are kept in accordance with Co Cars’ privacy policy.
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