Direct Line takes over model village to spark up electric car chat
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Direct Line has launched the UK’s first model village with only electric-powered cars, as an eco-blueprint to demonstrate how electric vehicles will benefit the environment.
The experiment is on a smaller scale at the Bondville Model Village in Bridlington which was transformed from November 26th, marking the day it turns fully electric.
During the makeover of the popular model village that was created during lockdown, it will demonstrate how just a small change in a small village can make a huge difference to the planet, once it is upscaled.
Moving our automobile industry into solely electric vehicles seems inevitability, with seven out of 10 Brits strongly believing that all cars will turn electric in the near future.
If the model electric village created by Direct Line was to scale, the total CO2 change would be a whopping 3,600g every kilometre. Which means that if Bondville as an average British village it will produce 192.8 tonnes less of CO2. Across the whole of the UK this will result in over one million tonne reduction in carbon emissions. Across the world this means a sizeable achievement towards reaching the 1.5C climate change targets.
Consumers will come from far and wide to view the village, receiving free guidance from Direct Line and Zoom EV consultants, whose mission is to make EV ownership easy and reduce CO2 emissions, on how easy it is to go electric and reveal how much of a difference going electric makes to the environment.
Following COP26, Direct Line found that two fifths (46.5 per cent) of Brits are concerned about the harm of petrol on the environment, showcasing that all things electric could be in our future sooner than imagined. With over half of Brits (54.4 per cent) admitting that their next purchase of a car will be electric.
61 per cent of Brits say they also worry there aren’t enough charge points around the UK and Direct Line is here to help, partnering with Zoom EV, to develop more EV bundles and showcasing this first, within the village.
By 2030 6.5million households in the UK plan to buy an electric car and Direct Line has announced its campaign, ‘Making Electric Easy’, offering a new package of EV-focussed benefits available to new Direct Line customers. Including discounts at public charging points and on home charging devices, making the future more accessible.
Interestingly, although they show the biggest resistance to buying an electric car, 80 per cent of those surveyed over the age of 65, said they think we will all need to drive them soon anyway. This is in comparison to 63 per cent of those aged 16-24 – the age group most likely to buy one.
Ian Exworth, Director of Emerging Markets, at Direct Line comments, “Electric vehicles have clearly already made a big impact on consumers, and it is our job to monitor that, offer support and ensure they feel like it is easy to make the switch. The important thing is to help and educate people as electric vehicles are set to play an important part in our greener future.”
Greg Fairbotham, CEO at Zoom EV states, “Working with Direct Line to create the UK’s first completely electric village, especially following this research, is a perfect representation of how easy-going electric can be. The need to switch to electric is getting more important by the second, and it is essential we continue to remove the barriers to EV ownership.’
