Published 1st July 2024

Leading manufacturers supported an electric vehicle (EV) event at the Council’s Parkside premises in Horsham on 24 May.  

Tesla, BMW, Volkswagen, Mini, Renault, Lexus, Ford, Skoda and the London Electric Vehicle Company all displayed cars at the free event, organised by Horsham District Council in partnership with Let’s Experience Electric. 

Funded by DEFRA’s Air Quality Grant, the event provided an opportunity for visitors to learn about zero emission transport and also test drive EVs in the town centre. Cllr Colette Blackburn (Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery) chaired presentations and a Q&A session at Parkside. These included speakers from Connected Kerb, who are responsible for the roll-out of EV charging points throughout West Sussex, as well as experts from the Energy Savings Trust, who shared information on grants and funding available to help individuals and businesses make the EV switch.  

Former professional rugby player Martin Offiah MBE, now a Brand Ambassador for Connected Kerb, shared his experience of switching to EV, having been introduced to electric vehicles by fellow England international Andy Gomarsall.  

‘After Andy gave me a lift in his BMW i3, I was hooked!’ recalled Martin. ‘I bought an i3 for my wife and a Tesla for myself the following year and have since experienced the positives and challenges that come from owning an electric vehicle. Now through my role with Connected Kerb, I try to tackle misinformation and show people what can be achieved with a growth mindset. I’m fortunate to have a driveway outside my home and most of the trips I make can be facilitated by home charging. I know others are not so lucky, but organisations like Connected Kerb can give everyone that same level of convenience, helping them make the transition. In West Sussex, The County Council and other local authorities such as Horsham District Council are helping us to provide a network of public charging points, both in car parks and on the street.’  

‘By 2035, the government is due to phase out the sale of new diesel and petrol cars to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. By building an EV infrastructure in West Sussex that is affordable, reliable and accessible, we can make sure we’re ready for that.’  

HEAD TURNERS

The inaugural event was supported by local dealerships displaying a range of EV models. Marshall Volkswagen, which operates in 18 locations including Horsham, brought along the ID 7, an all-electric hatchback, as well as its head-turning ID Buzz, a five-seater family adventure vehicle that embraces the classic style of Type 2 Campers. A long wheelbase model is expected soon, offering an improvement on the Buzz’s current electric range (about 250 miles) and potentially acting as a stepping stone to an EV VW Camper.  

Mark Kemp, Sales Executive at Marshall VW, said: ‘It’s good to be out in the community, speaking to people about switching to EV. I used to be anti-EV, the definition of a petrolhead, but I’ve spent a lot of time driving models in the ID range and have fallen in love with them. They’re fun to drive, have incredible performance and are more economical in the long-term, in addition to the environmental benefits they provide. Perhaps in future the Council can expand the Discover Electric event. I love events like Piazza Italia and maybe there’s scope to do something similar with EVs in future.’ 

Hendy Mazda and Hendy Ford, based in Broadbridge Heath, also attended the event. Mazda took along a fully-electric MX-30, one of the more affordable electric SUVs on the market. Station Garage Skoda displayed a stunning 4x4 Enyaq vRS. Sales Executive Daniel Wragg, who recently returned from Prague for a first glimpse of the exciting new hybrid Kodiaq, said: ‘It’s great that members of the public have a chance to see a wide selection of electric cars and test drive several in one place, without the pressure of visiting several dealerships. I have found most people are open-minded about EV and are interested to see what’s available from different manufacturers at various price points. The event is a good idea and hopefully we will be able to bring along more Skoda vehicles to any similar events held in future.’

CHEAPER OPTIONS

As well as being a chance for top manufacturers to connect with potential buyers, Discover Electric presented opportunities for local businesses too. JLC EV, based in East Sussex, has a range of practical, affordable electric vehicles ideal for commercial use and city life. These include the City 1, with a 10kWh lithium battery and a top speed on 44mph, available from £12,999 + VAT.   

Simon Mortimer, Sales Director at JLC EV, said: ‘We also have the City 2, a two-seater electric van ideal for deliveries and tradespeople. Also in the range is Nipper, a 4WD UTV with an electric rear tipper, and two other EV vans designed for commercial use. We recently sold 14 vehicles to a university, as they’re ideal to use around the campus, while others have been sold to hotels and national parks, or adapted for use as hot and cold food storage units. We specialise in light, affordable and economical vehicles with a limited range, so they’re not designed for motorways and speed is limited. However, for some organisations, charities, universities and businesses, they’re perfect.’ 

The Ryan Canter Club is a Partridge Green-based, family-run business offering a fleet concierge service. The company has been trading for over 25 years and now places more focus on the EV market. Director Jason Clough said: ‘We act as fleet managers for companies of every size, from start-ups to PLCs. Historically, 

businesses and tradespeople have been reluctant to switch to EV because the range is limited and they can’t afford to have vans off the road while they’re being charged. Now mileage ranges are improving and there are financial incentives to consider too. So, we now have an EV arm to our business called Go Electric, with rapid chargers to help EV fleets, making them not only a cost-effective alternative to diesel or petrol but a practical one too.’ 

It is hoped that Discover Electric may return, although the Council says that the first event achieved its objectives. Helen Peacock, Head of Sustainability and Green Spaces at HDC, said: ‘Air quality is one of the environmental concerns relating to our green agenda to achieve carbon neutrality for the District by 2050. As vehicles are one of the biggest emitters of CO2, we felt it was a good idea to promote electric vehicles. With this being a predominantly rural district, we know EV isn’t a solution for everybody. However, we felt we could inform people about EV and bust a few myths, while also giving members of the public the chance to test drive EV models from local dealerships.’ 

‘We’re pleased with how the event went and will now take stock and reflect on how to possibly expand such events in future. We hoped to include a display by a local E-bike specialist that supplies bikes to our community wardens, but unfortunately they couldn’t be here. That would be something we would like to introduce, as reflecting the local economy is vital. As for the possibility of an EV car rally in the town, that would be difficult, especially as Horsham now has a BID scheme with their own ideas and initiatives that they’re moving forward with. However, as a Council, we’re always looking at ways to support sustainability across the District so that residents and businesses can help us reach our environmental targets.’

WORDS: Ben Morris / PHOTOS: Alan Wright 

Further information:

For more details please visit: www.horsham.gov.uk/discover-electric