Eco info RSS Feed


City of York Council takes delivery of electric car

8:50am Friday 20th January 2012 in Eco info

Coun Dafydd Williams in the Nissan Leaf electric car which is being used in a pilot travel scheme by City of York Council Coun Dafydd Williams in the Nissan Leaf electric car which is being used in a pilot travel scheme by City of York Council

City of York Council has taken delivery of a Nissan Leaf electric car to be used by its staff.

The Leaf has been lent to the council by Nissan at no cost to the authority for the next three month as part of a pilot scheme.

It is a fully electric car and its running costs are much lower than a similar-sized petrol car.

Based on an annual mileage of 12,000 miles, the Leaf would cost £170 to run compared with £1,550 for a car doing 40mpg. Equally important is the fact the Leaf has no harmful emissions.

The vehicle will be added to a range of other vehicles and travel options as part of a “Rethinking travel” pilot scheme. Analysis will be made at the end of the three months to see which cars and options are suitable for council officers to use on work journeys.

Related links

Comments(22)

Garrowby Turnoff says...
9:18am Fri 20 Jan 12

How long a lead does it have?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

PKH says...
9:27am Fri 20 Jan 12

The problem with electric cars is the down time when they are not available due to the length of time it takes to charge them.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Amoco Caditz says...
9:28am Fri 20 Jan 12

‘the Leaf has no harmful emissions’

So apart from the energy used to manufacturer the car in the first place and the energy to recharge it no harmful emissions then!
The power to recharge it is actually coming from traceable green energy?
No, its coming from the national grid fed mainly in this area by the coal fired power stations at Drax, Ferrybridge and Eggborough.

The Lithium and other exotic materials used in the batteries: There are questions to the ethics used in the mining (semi slave labour/child labour and working conditions) at the source in undeveloped countries like Chad, CAR and Niger.
The material is then shipped to a plant to be processed (more CO2 miles) and energy required in the processing from raw material to a completed ‘green’ battery.

A modern small diesel Volkswagen or Toyota would easily do 60 mpg, which would very possibly run on recycled biodiesel so furthering its green credentials.
The vast mass production of existing diesel cars must help in the collective reduction of CO2 footprint compared to limited production runs of electric vehicles (until they become mainstream).

Do not believe the PR from the manufacturers and the council, it’s all spin. Base your opinion on the facts.
However it does allow an eco PR photo opportunity for a councillor!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

pedalling paul says...
9:28am Fri 20 Jan 12

A single seater commuter version would help regain much needed peak time road capacity.......

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

pedalling paul says...
9:29am Fri 20 Jan 12

...on second thoughts, electrically asisted bikes are already with us.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Amoco Caditz says...
9:32am Fri 20 Jan 12

‘pedalling paul says... 9:28am Fri 20 Jan 12
A single seater commuter version would help regain much needed peak time road capacity.......
pedalling paul says... 9:29am Fri 20 Jan 12
...on second thoughts, electrically asisted bikes are already with us.’

Do you like electrically assisted products?

How about a chair?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

ISeeEverything says...
10:10am Fri 20 Jan 12

A council officer would look really professional turning up for an important meeting in lycra, puffing and panting and all sweaty.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Torrey Canyon says...
10:21am Fri 20 Jan 12

If the vehicle is on lease or purchased the cost is still high for a hybrid compared to a diesel or petrol.
All because of York Council Environmental policy, that does not actually benefit the environment, just a shallow corporate social responsibility PR exercise.

Nissan Leaf from £25900
http://www.nissan.co
.uk/#vehicles/electr
ic-vehicles/electric
-leaf/leaf

Toyota Aygo from £8590
www.toyota.co.uk

Volkswagen Pole from £9585
www.volkswagen.co.uk


Not the best use of Council taxpayers money, there was me thinking that they had a duty to get best value of out public money!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Torrey Canyon says...
10:22am Fri 20 Jan 12

'Based on an annual mileage of 12,000 miles, the Leaf would cost £170 to run compared with £1,550 for a car doing 40mpg'

They are not taking into account the lease or purchase cost, which based on the vehicle being twice the price to purchase negates any recharge over fuel saving!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

pedalling paul says...
10:31am Fri 20 Jan 12

ISeeEverything wrote:
A council officer would look really professional turning up for an important meeting in lycra, puffing and panting and all sweaty.
If you ever take the trouble to be in the Guildhall parking area shortly before Committee or full Council meetings, you would see some Officers and Councillors arriving by pedal power. Most are suited or wearing smart casual dress. None will be huffing, puffing or sweating. The one big problem comes at full Council meetings, when access to the bike racks can be blocked by some Councillors cars....!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Mr Udigawa says...
11:36am Fri 20 Jan 12

Amoco Caditz wrote:
‘pedalling paul says... 9:28am Fri 20 Jan 12
A single seater commuter version would help regain much needed peak time road capacity.......
pedalling paul says... 9:29am Fri 20 Jan 12
...on second thoughts, electrically asisted bikes are already with us.’

Do you like electrically assisted products?

How about a chair?
This is a contender for comment of the year.
Priceless.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Priapus says...
11:51am Fri 20 Jan 12

Why all the whinging by bigotted petrol heads and self-proclaimed 'experts'? Firstly, this is a trial which may or may not work out. Secondly, anyone who has ever walked down polluted Gillygate etc on a still day will appricate more electric cars.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Stevie D says...
12:04pm Fri 20 Jan 12

@PKH - the cars can be charged overnight when council staff will not be needing them. If they're only being used for pootling around in York then that will be plenty.

@Amoco Caditz - even a small modern diesel would probably struggle to get near 60mpg in York's congested streets.

@Torrey Canyon - this car is being given to CYC free for 3 months. That sounds like a pretty good deal! They haven't committed to continuing with it after the free trial period.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

DILLIGAF says...
1:20pm Fri 20 Jan 12

Are they putting a playing car in the wheels so you can hear the blooming thing coming?

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

sunnysteve says...
3:48pm Fri 20 Jan 12

I think "pedalling Paul" might have the final say this time,electric cars are a complete waste of time and so expensive.It would work out cheaper to give all the councilers a V8 Jag. or just give them all a push-bike.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Garrowby Turnoff says...
5:30pm Fri 20 Jan 12

What a chance we've got to release the World from the grip of Oil rich Arab nations. Even if the cars are expensive, just think of the devastating effect, if we all switch to electric vehicles and oil prices collapse, on Arsenal and Man City!

I'll have two...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

York1900 says...
5:49pm Fri 20 Jan 12

To be honest for council staff to have electric cars to carrie out there duties in and around York most be a good thing at the speed traffic moves in York and It is not as they are going to be motorway driving with them as for charging well I would expect it would be charged over night or after use

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Buzz Light-year says...
7:34pm Fri 20 Jan 12

So, never mind what you all have to say on this I'm waiting for a comment from someone called Exxon Valdez...

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Viper_7 says...
9:46pm Fri 20 Jan 12

as well as all the other comments, don't forget the batteries do not last forever. Actually they are grossly inefficient. One takes chemical energy (coal/gas etc) turns it into electric, then turns it back to chemical (the battery) to turn it back to electric, then kinetic. Soooo much energy is lost during all these conversions.

Within less than 3 years, the batteries will need replacing. A good 1-3k cost here, along with the cost in CO2's in manufacturing said battery and recycling the harmful defunct battery.

The batteries as we all know actually lose charge doing absolutely nothing, and in our cool climate lose a good 30% more in winter.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

Viper_7 says...
9:51pm Fri 20 Jan 12

Torrey Canyon wrote:
'Based on an annual mileage of 12,000 miles, the Leaf would cost £170 to run compared with £1,550 for a car doing 40mpg'

They are not taking into account the lease or purchase cost, which based on the vehicle being twice the price to purchase negates any recharge over fuel saving!
along with the fact when people are "forced" on to electric vehicles, the government cash cow of VED, and tax on fuel will diminish/congestion charges, and they will find a reason to Tax the electric car to make up the difference, just like they did with Diesel.

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

piaggio says...
10:51pm Fri 20 Jan 12

why don,t they just walk/or get the bus???,and as for the price£25.000??
never mind its only tax payers money.if they are that bothered ,why not just buy a runner for £600

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

xtc says...
8:11am Sat 21 Jan 12

Another example of the council crying skint and then blowing money that could be used for better projects on things like this other councils are already replacing van fleets with electric vans while york council brings up the rear!

Report this post »    Register/Log In »

click2find

Most popular