ACFO and the Energy Saving Trust (EST) are urging public, private and voluntary organisations to have their electric vehicle knowledge bank fully charged by attending a special seminar.

The fleet-decision-makers’ organisation is joining forces with BMW and a wide range of other electric vehicle experts, including the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), to provide managers with the very latest information.

The seminar will be held on Tuesday, 18th February, 2014 at BMW Oxford - the home of the Mini - from 10am-4pm. BMW’s first fully-electric production car, the i3, has just gone on UK sale and it will be followed next year by the plug-in hybrid i8 sports car

The Government has forecast that by 2050 it anticipates almost every car and van on the nation’s roads to be an ultra low emission vehicle - and that implies a huge take-up among fleets and consumers for electric power.

But how suitable are electric vehicles for fleet operations today and what does the future hold? Experts from BMW, EST and OLEV will focus on key issues.

There will also be insights into the real world operation of electric vehicles from leasing and fleet management company Alphabet, which has been at the forefront of promoting electric vehicle mobility; Phil Redman, ACFO director and fleet manager at IBM UK where zero emission cars are on the company car choice list; and an employee from an organisation that has selected an electric vehicle as their company car will talk about the reasons why and their experiences on the road. The seminar will conclude with an open question and answer session.

ACFO director Julie Jenner said: “The Government, motor manufacturers, such as BMW, and vehicle recharging companies are collectively spending billions of pounds on developing the electric vehicle market and bringing zero and ultra low emissions cars and vans to the fore.

“Organisations are responsible for buying the majority of new cars in the UK and, therefore, fleet decision-makers have a critical role to play in helping to accelerate demand for electric vehicles if sales are to soar.

“However, we are aware of much uncertainty among fleet operators as to the viability of electric vehicle technology and the operational cost of such vehicles. This seminar will separate fact from fiction and give fleet decision-makers a clear understanding of the road ahead for electric vehicles in corporate applications.”

David Nicholas, fleet partnership manager at EST, said: “We are pleased to be working with ACFO to increase the knowledge and awareness of this new and developing technology. We look forward to this opportunity to discuss and address many of the common perceptions and areas of concern.”

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