EAST MIDLANDS
SUSTAINABLE
www.emc-dnl.co.uk/sustainability
Electric vehicles - all drivers need to know
Giving businesses the environmental stamp of approval
Tell us who you are? Faith Johnson, director of the Environmental Quality Mark Community Interest Company and a Business Peak District member.
What does your organisation do? Established in 2012, we deliver the Environmental Quality Mark (EQM) award for the Peak District National Park Authority.
How do businesses achieve the EQM and what’s its purpose? Businesses apply for EQM via a bespoke online audit tool, which includes a simple carbon footprint. An assessor follows up with a verification audit, which is then submitted to an independent awards panel for judging. Motivations for gaining the award vary and include formal recognition of green achievements; external scrutiny of their activities and being part of a network of like-minded businesses.
How many businesses have received the EQM? More than 70 businesses hold the award, across sectors including hospitality, retail, farming, creative industries and consultancy, as well as charitable and not- for-profit organisations.
Why do you think it’s important for businesses to follow sustainable practices in a post-Covid world? Consumers are emerging from Covid-19 with a heightened awareness of the fragility of the natural environment and the imperative for acting on climate change. Environmental accreditations will prove even more important to business competitiveness, as customers seek assurances they are “doing the right thing”.
48 business network March 2021
Electric vehicles are no longer the next generation or future technology. They’re here and they’re here to stay, whether in urban or rural areas. Jim Sweeney (pictured), founder and managing director of EV charging point supplier Go Electric and a board member of Business Peak District, tackles the burning questions drivers will have about moving to ultra-low emission vehicles.
Change is good, but we’ve heard many concerns from residents who don’t necessarily think so: “Will we have the power to charge all of our new electric cars? We don’t want EV charging stations popping up all over the place and ruining our scenery and way of life.” The good news is this isn’t needed. There are three levels of charging:
Level 1 Plug in your vehicle to your existing mains supply. Not very efficient, but this will do a job.
Level 2 A dedicated charging point at your home or place of work. Fast, efficient and cost-effective.
Level 3 Commercial charging stations.
The charging network across the UK is being built largely on Level 2. These charging points are more than ample for the power needed to charge our vehicles. Vehicle charging doesn’t need a series of Level 3 charging stations. It simply requires you to change your mindset on how “refuelling” your vehicle works.
CHANGE YOUR WAY OF THINKING When you’re thinking about charging your vehicle, don’t consider how long it will take because the vehicle charging network doesn’t work on charging times from 0 to 100%. Previously, you will have been used to a petrol
or diesel engine. Your fuel runs out or is getting low and you will have been to a garage to fill up. Charging an EV is different. You don’t wait
until the charge is almost out to “top up”. You charge more often and in smaller amounts. A lot of the charges you make may not cost
you a penny as they are a perk from the service provider. But your car will constantly be charged. And these charges are made at Level 2 charging points. When you’re not out and about, your vehicle
can charge at home and switch itself off when complete. Smarter charging takes place without you even thinking about it and while you’re busy doing other things. Do you still think it takes too long?
WHAT ABOUT THE BATTERY? WILL IT LAST? Another fear of EV charging we often hear is how long will a vehicle battery last? Before committing to any vehicle, always
check a manufacturer’s warranty. With most EVs, you will find the battery has a 100,000-mile warranty or at least eight years.
ELECTRIC VEHICLE RANGE It used to be that vehicles did not have the range to make owning one viable. However, this is no longer the case. Technology has developed. Batteries have
become longer lasting, and other technologies in electric vehicles have become more efficient. This means the range of an electric car is more than ample. Take the Nissan Leaf, which has an average range of over 230 miles. The current Tesla Model Y has 240 miles. Rumour has it the upcoming Tesla Roadster is to have a whopping range of 640 miles. And many other vehicles are on the way as manufacturers compete to make the best model for a quickly-growing market. When you consider the average person drives
about 30 miles per day, you soon realise an EV has all the range you’ll need.
Jim Sweeney will hold a talk about Sustainable transport and alternative fuels in Derbyshire and the Peak District at the next event as part of the Business Peak District webinar series, Radical Thinking to Develop a Sustainable Future for the Peak District. It will take place on Wednesday 14 April at 5pm. For more information, visit
www.businesspeakdistrict.com/webinar- speakers-schedule. The Chamber is the accountable body for Business Peak District.
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