Clúid launch an electric vehicle pilot scheme

In July, Clúid launched an electric vehicles (EVs) pilot scheme, to make our fleet greener. This was a follow-on from a test run in 2019, where Clúid rented an EV for three months and had three people road-test it for a month each (Pat Haran, Property Services; Catherine Stobie, Housing Services; and David Murphy, New Business).

Based on that initial trial, management approved the replacement of three diesel vehicles with EVs in our current fleet. Three drivers, Aimee McGee and Gerard Deegan from Housing Services; and Mark Fleming from New Business, were selected to pilot them. They work in different parts of the country and cover different ranges of mileage as a part of their role.

We are continually accessing how these vehicles are performing and we’re happy to share that the reports so far have been very positive. Collette Lundy in Property Services is leading this pilot project, and she has been linking in regularly with all our drivers.

She says: “I have enjoyed being a part of this pilot project and learned lots along the way. I’m delighted that the feedback from the EV drivers has been very positive. The EVs are very comfortable and have lots of benefits including apps that help charge or warm up the vehicle before use. These apps also help our drivers locate charge points on their journeys if needed.

“To date the EV’s have outperformed on cost and driving distances; they have also improved the driver’s planning abilities and driving behaviour.

“We now have EV chargers in the Dublin and Cork office to support our EV fleet and they can also be used by staff of Clúid for their own EVs, which is another way Clúid can support the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

“The pilot is ongoing – now that it’s the winter, this gives us another opportunity to measure the cost and efficiency of the EVs during colder months. We will continue to measure the performance of these vehicles to inform future decisions on expanding out the EV fleet”.