| | PwC is to pilot two 100%
electric vehicles at the
firm’s central London
offices as part of a
pioneering new scheme to
lower the firm’s overall
transport emissions, the
first of its kind for a
corporate fleet.
The deal, with Hertz,
will encourage employees
to replace taxi journeys
of over six miles by
booking the cars from
the firm’s central
London offices in
Westminster or
Southwark.
Bridget Jackson, head
of sustainability at
PwC, said: “The journeys
our people take at work
in central London can be
to locations with no
direct transport link,
or involve carrying
materials either too
bulky or confidential
for public transport. We
only need to convert | |
|
| | around two of those
journeys a day that
currently use cabs to
our new electric
vehicles to make this
add up for us.
“It’s a pioneering
initiative for PwC and
fits our commitment to
work with new
technologies, test how
they fit in our mix of
needs, so we can reduce
our overall
environmental impact. We
need to understand the
day to day reality of
working with electric
cars, just as we test
any other transport on
offer, so we can lower
our overall emissions,
potentially rolling out
the scheme nationwide.”
The two five door,
small hatch cars have a
90 mile range, are 100%
electric, and provide a
live member car care
support line via the | |
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| | impact on the automotive
industry moving forward.
The auto industry is
responsible for 15% of
global carbon emissions,
amounting to roughly 8bn
tons annually. Although
environmental protection
has been the primary
driver for change, other
factors such as the
price volatility of
fossil fuels and energy
independence have also
helped drive a change to
alternative and
renewable energy
sources.
Richard Gane, head of
automotive at PwC,
commented: “Electric
vehicles (EV) could play
a very big part in the
future of the automotive
market as firms and
individuals become
increasingly conscious
of the need to switch to
more environmental
alternatives to lower | |
|
| | our emissions.
“EVs may well
represent a more
promising transport
option to reducing
vehicle emissions and
creating a more
sustainable passenger
vehicle fleet but the
sector does face its own
challenges.
“Comparative battery
performance,
availability of battery
materials, storage
technology, mileage
range and the need for a
‘smart grid’' that can
recharge millions of EVs
using low-carbon
electricity without
overloading local
distribution circuits
are all issues
manufacturers need to
think about. However,
the automotive market is
ready to take on the
challenge.” | |
|
| | Connect by Hertz in-car
communications system,
including statistics on
emissions and usage. The
cars will be charged at
the two PwC offices or
via Hertz’s wider
network, or Source
London’s network.
Employees can also
charge them overnight
via a three pin socket.
Research by PwC’s
automotive practice
estimates that, by 2020,
pure electric vehicles
(PEVs) could represent
between 2% and 5% of the
total output of light
vehicles. The depth and
speed at which electric
vehicles will be able to
penetrate the market
will rely on several
factors, but there
remains little doubt
that this technology
will have a significant | |
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