Dublin ecar ambassador Ed Sadlier with his wife Betty. Picture: Robbie Reynolds
ESB has launched the second Great Electric Drive, with 26 people from around the country named as ecar ambassadors.
The Great Electric Drive – an initiative of ESB’s Innovation division – was launched at the Waterways Ireland Visitors Centre last week, and will give these people a chance to use an electric car for four months. Six commercial organisations have also been named as ambassadors.
ESB’s head of Innovation, John McSweeney said: “We are delighted to have 32 new ambassadors to take part in the second Great Electric Drive. We have chosen people from all over the country and all walks of life. People in Ireland are really starting to realise the benefits of electric cars and their suitability for everyone, no matter what their driving patterns are.”
McSweeney also outlined the potential advantages for ecar users and for the environment: “This year our aim is for the ambassadors to drive a total of 150,000 kilometres in their ecars, which is 50,000 kilometres more than last year. This will deliver a combined saving of almost €20,000 in fuel costs for the ambassadors and savings of up to 15 tonnes of CO2. The high performance and range capabilities of the latest electric vehicle models should really help the ambassadors achieve these goals.”
The government aims to have electric-run cars make up 10% of all cars on the country’s roads by 2020.
There are 1,000 ESB ecar charge points around the country, with two to be found in Dublin 4, on Fitzwilliam Street and on Upper Grand Canal Street.
By Aimée Mac Leod
