A new community electric van lending program has been introduced by Toyota (GB). Under this initiative, 42 all-electric vehicles will be lent out to different educational institutions and charities in the UK for a duration of two years. Surrey Wildlife Trust has received the initial shipment.
This program is an example of Toyota’s dedication to green transportation and giving back to the neighbourhoods where its factories are located.
Proace Verso Shuttle people carriers, which can accommodate nine passengers, are part of this program. Furthermore, Toyota is offering a grant of £1,000 to assist the designated organisations in purchasing a wall box charger, which will facilitate their transition to electric vehicles.
In order to support the amazing work that its long-standing charity partners accomplish, Toyota is donating vehicles to them. Additionally, Toyota and Lexus centres are encouraging local charities to apply for the program.
The following recipients have also received Proace Verso Shuttles from Toyota:
In Nottingham, there is a charity called Power Up that uses sports and fitness to improve the mental and physical health of all kinds of people, including refugees, people with disabilities, and members of other marginalised communities.
Jawaid Khaliq, founder of Power Up commented: “We plan to use the vehicle to support our mission of fostering inclusion, empowerment, and well-being across the community. The vehicle will also serve as a critical resource for transporting disabled students to our venue. By addressing the transportation barriers faced by these underserved groups, the vehicle will play a key role in ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can access opportunities that improve their lives and contribute to the community.”
Another nonprofit organisation to benefit is the Wings South West assists low-income communities in North Devon and Torridge.
Wings South West Operations Manager Andrew Best stated: “We’ll use the Toyota Verso to provide free transport for students attending our Wings College and Academy in Abbotsham, which can be challenging for those struggling with anxiety and mental health to access due to its remote location. We’ll also use it to take members of our disability group (Unity) and Ukrainian hub to activities provided off-site from our Bideford base.”
Scott Thompson, Toyota (GB) President and Managing Director said: “We want this programme to help people across the country overcome barriers to mobility and, at the same time, support community organisations in making the transition to electric vehicles. We know that it can be a big decision for a community organisation to switch to an EV van; hopefully this programme will give them a useful introduction to the benefits of all-electric motoring.”
Robin is the longest serving chairman of The Western Group. He's been vice chairman or chairman for over ten years and oversees the annual Western Group PR Driving Day each summer assisted by the group committee and supported by group members.
He contributes to a number of outlets in Wales and the UK, including the Driving Force editorial syndication agency feeding the biggest regional news and feature publishers in Britain.
Robin specialises in the Welsh automotive sector and motor related businesses with interests in Wales and publishes WheelsWithinWales.uk which covers news, features, trade and motor sport in Wales.
