Mitsubishi Motors in the UK has announced that Carmarthenshire County Council will be the first authority in Wales to unveil their two new Mitsubishi i-MiEVs.
The vehicles are funded as part of a £500,000 sustainable transport improvement plan for Carmarthenshire, paid for by the Welsh Assembly Sustainable Travel Centres funding. The two liveried Mitsubishi i-MiEVs will be used by the council staff as part of its co-ordinated pool car system.
Carmarthenshire was one of only four areas in Wales to secure the funding, which has paid for a series of improvements including walking, cycling and public transport infrastructure. The Council’s Transport Manager, Stephen Pilliner, said:
“We are pleased to be able to lead on the introduction of electric powered pool cars that will provide a facility for officers to travel by more sustainable forms of transport for work related travel journeys.”
The launch of the electric vehicles in Carmarthen creates a link with the Government’s recent announcement that Wales has been awarded Low Carbon Economic Area (LCEA) status. Cllr Philip Hughes, an executive board member for Carmarthenshire Council Transport Services, said:
“We are proud to be the first local authority in Wales to use electric cars as part of our fleet. It not only proves our commitment to the use of sustainable resources, but will cut down on our carbon emissions and also our fleet fuel costs - it’s a win-win situation all round.”
The i-MiEV was launched in Japan in 2009, and is the first pure-electric (EV) vehicle available to the world markets in regular series production from a major manufacturer. It boasts top accolades, including Electric Vehicle of the Year 2009 and 2010 by GreenFleet Award.
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