ESB has announced that the first Great Electric Drive, which got underway in September 2012, has drawn to a close with 21 ambassadors covering a total of approximately 105,000 kilometres of pure electric driving. In the process, they recorded combined fuel cost savings of €13,500, eliminating over 10 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

ESB held an event in Dublin to close the 2012/13 Great Electric Drive, which has been running throughout the country with 21 members of the public trialling a range of electric vehicles. Ambassadors were chosen following a public invitation to participate and attracted 12,000 applicants. Four ambassadors trialled an electric vehicle for a year; one for six months and sixteen trialled the ecars for a period of three months each. Ambassadors were provided with Nissan LEAF, Renault Kangoo ZE; Mitsubishi iMiEVs and a Smith Edison Transit van.

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The event also provided a platform to report on the findings conducted during the trial, which gathered information about driving trends, charging patterns and attitudes to electric motoring.

One of the aims of the trial was to highlight the benefits of electric car driving, not least of which is the very significant savings achievable. When considering that the average annual mileage covered by private motorist in Ireland is approximately15,000 km, savings of over €2,300 a year can be made in fuel costs, maintenance, motor tax and insurance by driving an electric as compared to a petrol vehicle.

These savings, coupled with the recent price drop of electric vehicles, the €5,000 government grant, the availability of a nationwide network of ESB charge points and the availability of more models including the recently announced BMWi3 and second generation Nissan Leaf, make electric motoring an all around attractive proposition.

ESB ecars Manager, Dermot McArdle said: "We are delighted with the success of our first Great Electric Drive and feel the savings achieved and the perception change of the ambassadors, speaks for itself. ESB is installing a nationwide network of charge points with 95% of major towns and cities having access to EV charging infrastructure, which makes electric vehicle driving a realistic alternative to traditional means of transport in Ireland."

(CD/MH)