A 12-month Oxfordshire electric car club pilot scheme, launched in April 2023, is being extended by six months due to popular demand, with more vehicles to be added to the scheme shortly.
The trial features electric vehicles (EVs), which can be hired on an hourly or daily basis from district and city council-owned car parks around the county. They are in place in Bicester, Banbury, Kidlington, Eynsham, Henley, Wallingford, Abingdon, Witney and Oxford.
The pilot has been organised by Oxfordshire County Council and supported by Oxford City Council, Cherwell District Council, South Oxfordshire District Council, Vale of White Horse District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council to assess the demand.
The vehicles are provided by hire companies Co Wheels, Zimbl, and Enterprise CarClub.
Since the start of the pilot, more than 500 new members have signed up to use the EV car clubs, and the vehicles have been hired over 2,000 times.
It is estimated that a successful car club vehicle can take, on average, 20 individually owned, often petrol or diesel, cars off the road.
The scheme’s success depends on increasing the use of the vehicles in the pilot, so residents are encouraged to use the introductory offers available and try out their local vehicles while they can.
If the vehicles continue to be well used, some current sites could be considered long-term locations for car club EVs, and a broader rollout could also follow to other locations.
EV car clubs give people the chance to use an EV when they need one without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. Car clubs can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.
EVs in the scheme can be hired from £5.95 per hour, including insurance, plus 12p per electric mile. Residents can use promotions, reduced membership and driving credit offers as part of the pilot scheme.
Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations, said: “I’m extremely pleased to see the positive response to EV car clubs in many of the towns and villages involved in the pilot.
“I welcome the extension to the scheme, which will mean even more residents and businesses can try out these shared cars for themselves.
“Car clubs can play a key role in reducing carbon emissions in Oxfordshire, as well as reducing the number of individual vehicles on our roads and helping people to reduce the cost of living. If you haven’t tried them out, now’s your chance.”
The pay-per-use electric vehicles available in the scheme are based at the following locations:
- Abingdon – Cattle Market car park, OX14 3JT – book via Co Wheels website
- Abingdon – West St Helens car park, OX14 5BU – book via Co Wheels website
- Banbury – Calthorpe Street West car park (OX16 5EX) – book via Zimbl website
- Banbury – Windsor Street car park (OX16 5AS) – book via Zimbl website
- Bicester – Claremont car park (OX26 6PH) – book via Co Wheels website
- Eynsham – Back Lane car park (OX29 4QP) – book via Co Wheels website
- Henley – Greys Road car park (RG9 2AA)- book via Co Wheels website
- Kidlington – Curtis Place car park (OX5 2PQ) – book via Co Wheels website
- Oxford – Redbridge Park and Ride (OX1 4XG) – book via Co Wheels website or Zimbi website (two vehicles available)
- Wallingford – Cattlemarket car park (OX10 0HF) – book via Co Wheels website
- Witney – Woodford Way car park (OX28 6GF) – book via Enterprise CarClub website
