University on the road to the future

23 May 2013

Senior managers test drive electric car that costs 2p per mile to run.

The University hit the road for the future recently, when staff were able to test drive a state-of-the-art electric car for a week.

Charged from a normal electric socket, the Nissan Leaf costs around 2p a mile to run, has no petrol costs and no tailpipe emissions. So who better to take it for a spin than the Environmental Sustainability team?

Head of Environmental Sustainability Dr Emma Gardner used the car to drive colleagues to one of their Biodiversity meetings, at Jodrell Bank.

“The car was a very smooth comfortable ‘quiet’ ride,” Emma said. “It is the first time I have driven an electric car, I was impressed, travelling that way made a lovely afternoon even better.”

Senior managers also had the chance to book an hour’s slot to drive the car, which was based in the Quad, with Registrar and Secretary Will Spinks and Director of Estates and Facilities Diana Hampson both signing up.

University Sustainable Travel Planner Andrew Hough, who organised the test drive, said: “Nissan offered us the trial to showcase the capabilities and quality of electric vehicles and to dispel negative myths – I think they achieved that! The University is looking at electric vehicles and infrastructure to build on the Environmental Services electric vehicle already seen around on campus.”