Business

Kevin Rapson of Rabbits Car Hire and Nigel Townley of Cisco at the Green Park charging point with the Mitsubishi pool car
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Drive for a greener commute

By David Millward
January 09, 2012

Staff at a Green Park based IT business are being encouraged to switch to electric with the installation of charging points for cars.

Cisco has put the chargers in its Reading and Feltham offices as a first step to evaluating and promoting the use of electric vehicles among employees and for business.

Nigel Townley, engineering director at Cisco in Green Park, said: “With many of our staff living in the local area, an electric vehicle may potentially be a suitable commuter car given that there will be the option to charge the car at work as well as at home.

“In addition, the distance between the two Cisco sites is about 30 miles and certainly within the range of a typical electric vehicle so we are evaluating if an electric vehicle could also be a viable pool car to allow site to site transport on an ad hoc basis for our employees.”

Local vehicle hire company Rabbits helped with the experiment by supplying a Mitsubishi i-miev for staff to trial for a week.

Mr Townley said: “Initial feedback from people who have tried the car has been that the car is very quiet and has much better than expected acceleration with a cruising speed of up to 50mph on major roads.”

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So if you work for cisco and can get an electric car you effectively have free fuel providing you live within 20-30 miles. No brainer! The private sector will be who lead the way on electric cars

wightspirit
09/01/2012 at 16:16

A quick search reveals a top speed of 80mph and a range of nearly 100 miles.

I Ron
09/01/2012 at 16:02

Using an electric car as a shared mode of transport between the two offices makes sense. A suitable lease deal for employees could make commuting with an electric car worthwhile.

If the care is used to commute during the rush hour then it will rarely get the chance to reach 50 mph on the M4.

NotJohn, Reading
09/01/2012 at 14:43

Reading Gate Retail Park is not part of Green Park.

I Ron
09/01/2012 at 12:42

Great idea! I won't be applying for a job at Cisco in a hurry if that's the level of car theyr'e offering . . . just let me sign this paperwork here for my new Cayenne ;-)

Common Cents, Reading
09/01/2012 at 12:02

Shame Green Park also lets a retailer there nail advertising boards to every tree next to a well known eatery there, how green is that!!

mother earth, Reading
09/01/2012 at 11:53

50mph to whack! Well I'll stick to my 4.0 litre gas guzzler for a little while.

Nimrod Maximus, www.getcensored.co.uk and making his momma proud!
09/01/2012 at 11:32

I hope that the staff don’t mind being tailgated by juggernauts on the M4 while they pootle along at up to 50mph on their way to Feltham.

John, Caversham
09/01/2012 at 09:59

If someone pays for this to be installed in cars i can see it working, but in al honesty as soon as this takes off up goes the price of it anyways. So might aswell just stick with good old fashioned petroleum :D