In April 2023, Co Wheels launched a new EV Car Club pilot in Eynsham, placing a hirable electric vehicle (EV) in Back Lane Car Park for use by residents.
Backed by Oxfordshire County Council, this was part of a countywide pilot scheme to encourage people to rent EVs for journeys and 14 locations across the county have been involved. It was targeted at rural locations where residents may lack space to park and charge their own EV, but were interested in using one.
As we approach the end of the year-long pilot, Eynsham Parish Council got in touch with Co Wheels team to see how the scheme has been working in Eynsham. The report is encouraging – and has surprised the team who weren’t sure the Eynsham community would take up this scheme.
As of the end of January 2024, the Co Wheels Car Club EV in Eynsham had been booked 171 times. The average journey distance was 42 miles, with the average hiring duration recorded as 7 hours. There are 26 active users – who have accounts and who book regularly – with 46 members who have created accounts in total.
Considering the size of our community, these figures are encouraging and hopefully demonstrate the local appetite for switching to EVs as part of wider enthusiasm for ‘green’ issues and a determination to make changes that will protect our environment. According to figures from the ONS, 15.8% of Eynsham residents don’t have either a car or a van, so these Co Wheels figures suggest that these vehicle-less residents are finding a benefit in hiring an EV when needed.
The pilot was originally planned to last 12 months but has been extended in Eynsham for an additional six months. Hopefully this extension will give more local people the chance to try out the Car Club scheme and to take advantage of the special offer. There is no joining fee (usually £10) for new members and no monthly fee (usually £5), with £10 driving credit provided for those who sign up. Find out more details here: Eynsham | Co Wheels (co-wheels.org.uk)
Co Wheels is currently collecting data from other locations to create a Social Impact Report for the scheme. These figures will enable them to compare Eynsham’s activity to other areas and we will update this website when we receive the report.
Have any of you tried out the Co Wheels EV? If yes, we’d love to hear from you about your experience. Email epc.comms@eynsham-pc.gov.uk and tell us more.