Management chauffeurs test drive electric vehicles

Lelystad - On 23 September, 21 management chauffeurs from large Dutch companies and various ministries were introduced to electric transportation on the RDW test circuit in Lelystad, The Netherlands. During the event, the chauffeurs were told about the latest state of affairs and were able to discover what it is like to drive electric vehicles. ‘Really comfortable!’ ‘I wasn't expecting it to be this fast’, were some of the reactions after the event had finished. On-the-spot research revealed that 80 percent of the chauffeurs see themselves driving electric cars both privately and professionally in the future.

Essent organized the event together with Formula Zero, the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management and Tendris Remotion. "We invited the chauffeurs because we'd like to get other companies excited about the electric car as well. We hope the companies will be expanding their fleet with these too", says Mike Kok, an employee in Essent's Electric Transportation Department. "Chairmen of the directorate and politicians play an exemplary role. And who drives their car? The personal chauffeurs. They often have a finger in the pie when it comes to the choice of a new service car, so for that reason we get them involved in driving electric vehicles."

Discovery

In addition to presentations on driving electric vehicles, all chauffeurs got the opportunity to test the electric cars themselves. "The intention behind this was to have them discover that an electric car can hold its own against a conventional car with combustion engine", explains Kok. "Throughout the event, there was also a car driving round the test circuit demonstrating that you can drive a considerable distance without recharging."

Pleasantly surprised

The chauffeurs were somewhat sceptical prior to the event beginning. They were inclined towards thinking that driving electric vehicles is really something for golf buggies, that they are slow and that you cannot cover a considerable distance in them. "After the day had ended, opinion had changed quite a bit. The scepticism that many drivers had had was gone", says Kok.

Published: 29 September 2009