Fleet managers can earn £20 by agreeing to a telephone interview on electric vehicles being organised by TRL.

Interviews are expected to last up to an hour and will be carried out by the research organisation to establish consumers’ attitudes towards electric vehicles.

It will form part of larger piece of research being organised by the Energy Technologies Institute, which has embarked on three major projects to support the roll-out of electric vehicles in the UK market.

TRL is involved in one of the projects to investigate consumers’ reactions and behaviour in buying and using plug-in vehicles and the supporting infrastructure. It is being led by Ricardo and also involves Element Energy, Shell and the universities of Sussex and Aberdeen.

“Plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles may have an important role to play in the reduction of the overall carbon emissions of road transport in the medium to long term,” explained Professor Neville Jackson, Ricardo group chief innovation and technology officer, and chair of the UK Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.

“However personal transportation represents a complex system even at an individual vehicle level – from the energy chain that provides the fuel, the production system that delivers the new vehicle to the customer, the utility of the vehicle and how this fulfils consumer expectations and ultimately, the recycling process at the end of its life.

“As such an extremely wide range of factors must be considered if an effective, appropriate and ultimately successful deployment of plug-in vehicle technology is to be made.”

The main part of TRL’s research will involve a household survey, lending 40 members of the public electric and plug-in hybrids vehicles to use for a week.

The household study will also look at how people use electric vehicles compared to their conventional vehicle by the use of travel diaries. The research will consider acceptance of the vehicle, purchase and use, as well as perceptions towards charging and infrastructure needs and potential incentives for car purchase and use.

However, TRL are also keen to engage with fleet managers on these issues to consider how their purchasing decisions and usage needs may be vary from the private consumer’s decision-making process.

If you’re interested in taking part in the TRL interview, contact Rebecca Hutchins on 01344 770318 or email rhutchins@trl.co.uk.