Utility giant ScottishPower has announced a new agreement with UK car dealership Arnold Clark to make the switch to electric vehicles (EVs) “simpler”.
The agreement will allow consumers to lease or buy EVs, have a charging point installed at home and sign up to a 100% renewable energy tariff.
ScottishPower’s decision to partner up with a car dealership has been taken on the back of a YouGov poll with predicts a surge in interest for EVs over the next three years.
The poll predicts that 1 in 5 adults who don’t currently own an electric vehicle, or aren’t currently in the process of buying one, will be considering either the purchase or lease of an electric vehicle by October 2021 – a much faster rate of change than previously predicted, with only 2% of British adults owning an electric vehicle at present.
The survey of around 2,000 adults, commissioned by ScottishPower, found a third of those who don’t currently own an electric vehicle, would be more likely to consider purchasing one if the manufacturers guaranteed that their power would come from 100% renewable sources.
Keith Anderson, ScottishPower chief executive, said: “This means industry and Government working together to build the infrastructure so we can charge electric vehicles as well as building clean and cheap renewables to bring down the cost of motoring. The UK needs to decarbonise transport faster and we have to make the switch to electric vehicles simpler.”
“That’s why we’re accelerating the switch to electric vehicles by giving customers everything they need to make the change hassle-free through our new end to end electric vehicle package and partnership with Arnold Clark.
“The signals couldn’t be clearer – people are telling us they want electric vehicles faster than expected, and that means the decarbonisation of our transport system, and improved air quality, can be delivered faster too.”
Arnold Clark, originally started in Glasgow, is a UK car dealer with over 200 retail sights in the UK.
Eddie Hawthorne, Arnold Clark chief executive and group managing director, said: “The landscape of the automotive market is changing and inevitably the buying behaviour of our customers. Arnold Clark will continue to provide great value for money and knowledge on a range of electric vehicles throughout the UK with the additional incentive that our new partners, Scottish Power, will provide a network of recharging points to keep you on the move with confidence.”
Last month, ScottishPower switched to 100% wind power generation after selling its gas and hydro business in a £702 million deal.
Drax Group bought ScottishPower’s portfolio of assets – power generation of 2,566 megawatts (MW) – after making a deal with Iberdrola, Scottish Power’s Spanish parent company.
ScottishPower said the sale means it will completely switch away from coal and gas generation to wind power.
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