The benefi ts of shared electric vehicles in Scotland

The benefi ts of shared electric vehicles in ScotlandOCT 2015

The benefits of electric vehicles in car clubs in Scotland 0201 The benefits of electric vehicles in car clubs in Scotland

Car clubs in ScotlandCar clubs are playing an important role in the decarbonisation of road transport in Scotland.

The car club sector in Scotland is diverse and growing. It increasingly provides communities in Scotland with convenient and affordable access to pay-as-you-drive plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). By offering individuals, families and employers the opportunity to experience this technology, it is changing the way people travel by reducing their dependency on privately owned fossil-fuelled vehicles.

The Scottish Government has identified ambitions for the almost complete decarbonisation of road transport by 2050. These plans focus on a modal shift towards walking, cycling and public transport, with the widespread adoption of electric cars and vans enabling people to move away from the current dependence on fossil-fuelled vehicles.

Scotland’s car clubs can play an important role in these plans, as they encourage the uptake of EVs by providing their members with access to an EV without the need to own one.

Car clubs also play an important role in encouraging modal shift by decoupling car ownership and use. Car club members are far more likely to walk, cycle and use public transport than the average driver because they pay for their car travel at the point of use.

The Developing Car Clubs Scotland (DCCS) Programme, which is funded by Transport Scotland and managed by Carplus, has helped grow the network of car clubs across the country and accelerated the uptake of EVs in car clubs.

Car club use in Scotland saves over 170 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, and car club members have disposed of 840 privately owned cars and avoided purchasing a further 2,200 cars – vehicles that might otherwise be on Scotland’s roads.

Glasgow EdinburghFalkirk

Dundee

St. Andrews

Aberdeen

Scottish car club locations

in Scotland as of July 2015

About car clubsWhat is a car club? A car club is a member-based organisation that provides access to pay-as-you-drive vehicles. These are available for hire for as little as 30 minutes up to several days at a time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Car club vehicles tend to be parked in dedicated and clearly marked parking spaces close to homes and workplaces.

How do car clubs work? Members can join and book vehicles online, over the phone, or using a mobile app. Members access vehicles by swiping their membership card over a card-reader on the windscreen.

The club covers all the costs of owning and operating the vehicles, including insurance, tax, fuel, parking permits, cleaning and servicing.

To use a vehicle, members simply pay an annual membership fee, an hourly rate and a mileage rate, and are billed for the total number of hours and miles at the end of each month.

The hourly rate is typically between £3.75 and £7.20 per hour, depending on vehicle size, and the mileage rate is typically 13-21p per mile, which covers fuel and vehicle wear and tear. The mileage rate tends to be reduced to 0-5p per mile for EVs.

I was both surprised and delighted by our new electric vehicles. There was no need to change gears, no smelly fumes - just a smooth gliding sensation. The Nissan LEAF is definitely a way to the future: no more old gas guzzling old bangers.

The little Twizy is fun. Great for just popping into the local town and it really challenges our perceptions of what a car can be.

I would never be able to afford such cars, but the car club gives me access to the latest innovations and I can see no reason to ever own a car privately again.

Craig Gibson Moray Carshare

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A convenient, cost-effective alternative to car ownership Car clubs provide access to new or nearly new vehicles. They offer significant savings compared to car ownership, especially where a driver only requires use of a vehicle occasionally.

In addition, car club members have the flexibility to hire an EV to make big savings on fuel, or to take a petrol or diesel 7-seater vehicle or van when needed.

Who uses car clubs?

Occasional drivers People who do not own or have access to a car but need to use one from time to time.

Money savers People who own a car, but only use it occasionally and could do without the expense of keeping it in running order ‘just in case’.

Multiple car owning households Households with access to more than one vehicle who are interested in down-sizing.

Employees and local businesses Car clubs make it easier to manage and reduce business travel costs.

24/7CAR CLUB VEHICLES

ARE AVAILABLE TO HIRE

TONNES

CAR CLUB USE IN SCOTLAND SAVES

OF CARBON PER YEAR

170

– CO2

Q

0403 The benefits of electric vehicles in car clubs in Scotland The benefits of electric vehicles in car clubs in Scotland

Having a City Car Club electric vehicle nearby and with a quick and easy booking system is ideal for staff at The Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation. It gives us a low carbon option for travel to meetings that is both fun to drive in the city and good for our environment.

David Gunn Business Manager, Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation.

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Case study: City Car Club EdinburghEdinburgh is one of the UK’s oldest and most successful car clubs.

City Car Club Edinburgh has over 5,300 members and 150 car club vehicles, including 17 battery electric vehicles and 1 plug-in hybrid vehicle.

The first EV to be introduced to the Edinburgh car club fleet is located at the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI).

ECCI is a hub for the knowledge, innovation and skills required to create a low carbon economy, and the ideal location for a shared EV.

The car club EV at ECCI provides convenient and affordable access to an EV to a wide range of users including ECCI, Edinburgh University, the City of Edinburgh Council and residents of Edinburgh.

1 electric car 10 months in use112 different drivers5,360 miles travelledSN

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GE

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Car club growth

Emissions and air quality

78

To date the DCCS programme has supported the expansion of the Scottish car club network from 3 to 22 locations over the period 2010-2014, with more locations due to be added in 2015.

PEOPLE JOIN A CAR CLUB IN SCOTLAND

EVERY MONTH

Members of Scottish car clubs

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

Oct’10 Feb’11 Oct’11 Feb’12 Oct’12 Feb’13 Oct’13 Feb’14 Oct’14 Feb’15 Jun’15

In 2014, emissions from car club vehicles in Scotland were, on average, 37% lower than the typical car on Scotland’s roads, and 96% of the Scottish car club fleet was Euro 5 or 6 compliant. These figures will improve further as more EVs are added to the car club fleet.

The car club vehicles in Scotland are far less polluting than the average car on Scotland’s roads.

The car club fleet in Scotland is

Limiting air pollution(up from 92.5% in 2013)

EURO 5/6 COMPLIANT

96%

150 total vehicles 17 EVs5300 membersu

% LESS CARBON

In Scotland, car club vehicles typically produce

from tailpaipe emissions than the average Scottish car

37

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EV U

SAG

E 1 electric car 13 months in use36 different drivers11,000 miles travelled

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I particularly enjoy using the LEAF - I choose it over any other car whenever I can.

I mainly use it for trips to the local area, for shopping, for visits and for outings. It is driving very smoothly; I love the quietness of the motor. And I am keeping a good eye on the usage, making sure that I don’t accelerate too quickly and use more charge than necessary.

I am very glad every time I use it that it is charged by our windmills, that I am not using any petrol or diesel for the trip.

Dürten Lau Moray Carshare member

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Case study: Moray Carshare

Decarbonising car use

Moray Carshare is a community-based car club located in Findhorn and Forres in Moray, in the north-east of Scotland. Moray Carshare has over 80 members and has 11 cars, including 3 EVs.

Moray Carshare is committed to providing affordable and environmentally sustainable travel options within the IV36 postcode area. The car club’s 2 EVs based in Findhorn are charged overnight from a community-owned wind turbine.

2013-14 saw the introduction of 15 EVs into urban and rural car clubs with support from the DCCS programme.

2014-15 saw the introduction of a further 58 EVs into urban and rural car clubs with support from the DCCS programme.

In July 2015 there were 73 car club EVs in Scotland – more than the rest of the UK combined.

Glasgow

Dumfries

Edinburgh

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12

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Dundee

St. Andrews

Scottish EV locations and quantities of EVs at each location in Scotland as of July 2015

Aberdeen

Over the last two years the DCCS programme has supported the introduction of 73 new EVs to Scotland’s car clubs, making this technology easily available to Scotland’s 8,000 car club members.

Car clubs give their members the opportunity to try EVs without the cost of purchasing one.

The average car club vehicle in Scotland is used by 32 members and is in use 25% of the time, whereas the average privately owned car is used by just 1-2 people and is in use just 5% of the time.

Car club vehicles are better utilised than cars in private ownership, spending more time in use than the average vehicle. They also offer access to a much wider range of users – often a mix of individuals, tourists, businesses and local authorities and other public bodies.

Car clubs are playing an important role in mainstreaming EVs, by introducing them to a wide range of new users reducing dependence on fossil-fuelled vehicles.

30%Electric

BY MID-2015 THE SCOTTISH CAR CLUB FLEET WILL BE

Car clubs are successful in a variety of settings – from small rural communities to the largest cities in Scotland. They are used by businesses, public bodies and individuals.

By providing a range of petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric vehicles, car clubs allow members to make the most appropriate choice for their journey, opting for an electric car when it is needed for an appointment in town, or a 7-seater for a family outing.

Those car club members who also require a personal vehicle can purchase the one most suited to their everyday needs (e.g. a small fuel-efficient vehicle for the commute to work) rather than buying the largest possible vehicle they are ever likely to need. The flexibility offered by car club membership means that they may choose to buy an electric car for their main vehicle and then hire a conventionally fuelled vehicle from the club when they have to make a longer trip.

We took one of the E-Car Club EVs in St Andrews to Stirling for a meeting and found it easy to use and very convenient.

On the way back we opted for a coffee stop and charge at the Stirling services station on the M9. Plugging into the AC rapid charger couldn’t be easier. 90% of UK’s charge points are free to use with the Charge-Your-Car card in the glove box of each E-Car.

After 25 minutes we returned to the car to find it 80% charged (a 60 mile range), more than enough for the 30 miles back to St Andrews.

Alistair Macleod Transition University of St Andrews

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Case study: St AndrewsE-Car Club, the UK’s only EV-only car club operator, launched Scotland’s first EV-only car club in St Andrews in April 2015, in partnership with the University of St Andrews, initially launching eight Renault ZOEs and two Renault Kangoo Vans across three University owned locations.

St Andrews is a small town on the east coast of Scotland, well known for its golf course. The local community was keen to introduce a car club to improve mobility options, reduce parking pressure and congestion and to make a positive impact on the environment.

Since the launch of the scheme in April 2015 the membership has expanded rapidly to over 100 members. E-Car engages with the public by holding small weekly workshops to teach drivers new to EVs the process of taking the EVs on and off charge and maximising the EV range through eco-driving. The introduction of E-Car to St Andrews has helped to get a large number people into EVs for the very first time.

87%

70%

OF MEMBERS WHO HAVE USED AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

RATED IT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCEi

OF DRIVERS WHO HAVE USED AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE IN A CAR CLUB ARE MORE LIKELY

TO USE ONE IN FUTURE AS A RESULTi



Car clubs: Promoting behaviour change

Until the arrival of their baby boy last year, Heather Owen and Simon Mackie had no need for a car. They commuted to work by train and used the local car club for surfing trips with friends at weekends. They have gained confidence in driving an electric car through the car club and, if they can find a suitable place to park and charge it, they plan to invest in one of their own.

Gordon Nicholl, from Lochwinnoch joined the LEAP Car Club just over a year ago when it came time to replace the car he owned.

He now walks or uses his bus pass for most journeys, and appreciates that being a car club member saves him from worrying about unexpected repair bills. He would never have considered trying an electric car unless one had been available through the car club.

Car clubs offer people the kind of flexibility that helps them choose the most appropriate means for their journey. They enable modal shift – and the evidence is that car club members walk, cycle and use public transport more than other drivers.

HEATHER OWEN AND SIMON MACKIE

GORDON NICHOLL

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A carbon- free future

The Scottish Government is aiming to decarbonise road travel by 2050. This represents a massive shift in travel patterns and vehicles for a whole country. But change happens only one step at a time.

Car clubs are providing their first ever taste of electric vehicles to whole communities. They are enabling people to choose to travel differently and to make the most appropriate transport choices for their journey.

Car clubs are playing their part in helping people to change the way they travel.

2050“BY 2050, SCOTTISH TOWNS, CITIES AND

COMMUNITIES WILL BE FREE FROM THE DAMAGING EMISSIONS OF PETROL- AND

DIESEL-FUELLED VEHICLES”(ii)

(ii) Switched On Scotland: A Roadmap to

Widespread Adoption of Plug-in Vehicles,

Transport Scotland, September 2013


Using Co-wheels for our business travel has already brought huge benefits to the Council and its staff and the EVs have really built on this. Aberdeen has air quality issues so the environmental benefits EVs bring in terms of PM10 and N0x and their ability to cut carbon emissions from business travel are great news. Their nippiness and ease of driving in stop-start traffic also make them ideal for the urban environment.

Initially staff were a bit sceptical but we offered them training on how to drive the cars and how to charge them before their first use.

This, coupled with the chance to drive the cars in real world conditions, has brought much praise from staff. In fact, of the nine cars we book for exclusive use of staff from Co-wheels, the two electric cars are now the best used.

Alan Simpson Aberdeen Council

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Case study: Co-wheels Aberdeen Co-wheels Aberdeen was launched in April 2012 with support from Aberdeen City Council, regional transport partnership Nestrans and the DCCS programme.

The car club currently has around 1,000 members and 38 car club vehicles, including 20 EVs - currently more EVs than any other car club location in the UK.

Aberdeen City Council is a key user of the car club and over 450 council employees have signed up to the scheme for council business travel. Analysis by the Energy Saving Trust suggests that Aberdeen City Council saves approximately £40,000 annually by replacing its pool cars and grey fleet mileage with car club vehicle usage.i

(i) Case Study: Car club helps Aberdeen City Council to

streamline transport operations, Energy Saving Trust, 2014.

One of the key benefits of car club EVs is that, unlike EVs in Council fleets, they don’t sit unused in the evenings and weekends and the car club EVs in Aberdeen are also available for use by over 550 other car club members in Aberdeen!

Car club members in Aberdeen have really taken to EVs. The car club EVs in Aberdeen are well utilised, sometimes proving more popular than some of the car club’s fossil fuelled vehicles, and a survey of Aberdeen members conducted by Co-wheels showed that 83% wanted more EVs in the car club.


By 2050, Scottish towns, cities and rural communities will be free from the damaging emissions of petrol- and diesel-fuelled vehicles.

of car club members

are regular cyclists

of car club members

regularly use the bus

of car club members

regularly travel by train

(COMPARED TO 13% OF THE SCOTTISH

POPULATION)


POPULATION)


POPULATION)

36% 51% 18%of car club members

walk regularly


POPULATION)

84%

Further information

Develop a car club in your area

For more information on car clubs, the DCCS programme and Carplus, visit the Carplus website:www.carplus.org.uk

t Follow us @CarplusTrust f Find us at Carplus.Trust

If you would like to find out more about developing a car club in your area of Scotland, or wish to discuss any other aspect of the DCCS programme, please contact:

Morag HaddowDeveloping Car Clubs Scotland Programme Coordinator

Telephone: 0131 243 2734Email: [email protected]

CarplusThorn House5 Rose StreetEdinburgh EH2 2PR

Carplus is a not-for-profit, environmental transport NGO that promotes accessible,affordable and low-carbon alternatives to traditional car use in the UK. Carplus is leading the way towards a new era of shared car ownership and use, and works with others to explore ways to capture the benefits of new technology and support behavioural change.

This report was prepared by Matthew Eastwood and Beate Kubitz, with the help of the Carplus teams in Edinburgh and Leeds, and staff of the car clubs featured.

Printed by Edinburgh Copy Shop, on recycled paper. Designed by Simon Kenworthy at KnownAim.

© Carplus Trust 2015 All photos Carplus except those on pages 7 and 10 courtesy of Renualt UK

Carplus Trust is a Registered Charity, no. 1093980 and SC044682 in Scotland and a company limited by guarantee, no. 4429814, registered in England and Wales, Ebor Court, Westgate, Leeds LS1 4ND.

Glasgow EdinburghFalkirk

Dundee

St. Andrews

Aberdeen

Scottish car club locations

in Scotland as of July 2015

Documents

The benefi ts of shared electric vehicles in Scotland