11 October 2021
Representatives of Electric Vehicle Drivers’ Associations from a range of European countries will be heading to the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow to support the call for much faster transport decarbonisation globally fuelled by renewable energy.
EV drivers will be calling for all new cars and light duty vans sold in the 28 countries (44 EV drivers’ associations) represented in the Global EV Drivers’ Alliance (GEVA) to have a plug by 2030, and to be fully zero emission by 2035 at the latest. A rapid shift to zero emission electric transport is currently being achieved in many countries and can be accelerated through supportive policies.
Climate change is already having a devastating impact on our planet, causing glaciers to melt, sea levels to rise, harsher droughts and heat waves, and stronger tropical cyclones and hurricanes. This has led to significant loss of life, impacts on human health and environmental destruction which will only get worse in the coming years.
Transportation accounts for 24% of direct CO2 emissions from fuel combustion globally, of which road vehicles account for nearly 75%. GEVA is calling for action now to shift from vehicles burning fossil fuels to vehicles running on clean, renewable electricity. This has never been more urgent than it is today.
To take this message to COP26, EV drivers from Europe and the UK will be participating in the ‘Electric Road to COP26’, starting their journey in England by charging up with 100% renewable electricity at the GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt in Essex. They will then be hosted by myenergi in Grimsby where they will be able to see some of the latest EV charging and zero carbon home energy solutions. The route will take in the site where construction is currently starting of the Britishvolt EV battery gigafactory in Northumberland, before experiencing Scottish EV charging at Forth Valley College in Falkirk – ending up in Glasgow itself at the Arnold Clark Innovation Centre.
The EV drivers will then head to COP26 in Glasgow in order to:
The Electric Road to COP26 is being organised by EVA England, EVA Scotland, GEVA and Local EV Groups (NEXUS). Octopus Electric Vehicles is providing EVs for driving opportunities at some of the locations on the route. Planet Mark’s Zero Carbon Tour Bus will join the Electric Road in Glasgow.
Joel Levin, Global EV Alliance (GEVA) Chair, comments: “A shift to electric transport is essential to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce dangerous climate change, improve local air quality and people’s health in cities around the world. With the rapid improvements in EV technology and the new cars and vans coming into the market, it is entirely achievable.”
Ade Adepitan MBE, EVA England Honorary Member adds: “In my recent travels and when reporting on climate change, I’ve seen the growth of electric bikes, three-wheelers, cars, buses and vans around the world, and the opportunity to do much more. I call for COP26 to speed up the move to electric transport.”
Neil Swanson, Director, Electric Vehicle Association Scotland, concludes: “EVA Scotland looks forward to welcoming delegates and drivers to COP26, which presents a unique opportunity to increase the uptake of electric vehicles globally.”
EVA England offers a voice for EV drivers in England. People can follow updates about the Electric Road to COP26 and share the message about the need for faster global transport decarbonisation via the EVA England website and on Twitter @EVAEOfficial.
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To find out more about the Electric Road to COP26, to arrange interviews or to attend the events, please contact:
Warren Philips, EVA England Board Member and Media Liaison
T: 07988 502527
E: media@evaengland.org.uk
W: www.evaengland.org.uk
Paul Clarke, Automotive Comms
T: 078 66 77 00 29
E: paul.clarke@automotivecomms.co.uk
Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) England was established in June 2020 to offer a voice, services and representation to current and prospective electric vehicle drivers in England. EVA England is a non-profit community interest company founded by passionate drivers inspired by the benefits of electric driving and concerned by the health and climate impacts of the use of petrol and diesel cars and vans.
EVA Scotland’s ambition is to be the voice of the electric vehicle movement all over Scotland, supporting the electrification of all forms of transport.
The Global EV Alliance represents EV Driver Associations from the countries of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain (Catalonia), Croatia, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
The EV Groups Nexus is an association of independent electric car clubs from around the UK and Ireland. It is the place to go if you are looking for a local club in your area or want to set one up. We are the place for club owners to find support and cooperation with other groups both nationwide and local.
GRIDSERVE® is transforming the charging experience and accelerating the transition to electric vehicles, with the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway, our UK-wide sustainable energy powered EV Charging network for everyone, that includes GRIDSERVE’s pioneering Electric Forecourts® and Electric Hubs, catalysed by our Electric Vehicle Solutions leasing business. The GRIDSERVE Electric Highway network delivers the fastest and most reliable charging for all types of electric vehicles, with net zero carbon sustainable energy and is designed to deliver a fantastic customer experience.
myenergi was founded in 2016 in the UK by a team of experts, activists & inventors. They identified a gap in the market whereby solar power could be used more sustainably at home and set about creating a range of versatile eco home smart tech products including best-selling electric vehicle charger, the zappi. Now a household name, myenergi has become recognised for delivering innovative solutions to businesses, building developers, homeowners and electric vehicles drivers who are looking to reduce their carbon footprint, increasing adoption of renewable energy methods, and enabling a more sustainable lifestyle. We look forward to the final bow from a world that relies on fossil fuel to function.
Britishvolt is Britain’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies. It is dedicated to supporting the future of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage, producing best-in-class, responsibly-manufactured, low-carbon, battery cell technologies. Britishvolt’s aim is to establish the UK as the leading force in battery technology, and associated ecosystem infrastructure. It is working with leading strategic partners/suppliers to achieve this, as it is of paramount importance to the future of the UK automotive industry and the overall economic and industrial health of the country. The company was recently valued at +$1b, making it one of the fastest growing Unicorns in UK plc history. Britishvolt believes that the UK is the right place for its investments because of the strength of its automotive and energy industry alongside its expertise and history in industrial and academic battery research and development. Quarter four 2023 has been targeted as the start of production in Britain’s first Gigaplant situated on the old coal stocking yard of the former Blyth Power Station in Cambois, Northumberland.
Octopus Electric Vehicles believes driving shouldn’t cost the earth. They enable employees to save up to 40% on the cost of driving electric through Electric Dreams, our salary sacrifice scheme, which is free to set-up and super easy to run. They don’t just provide your team with awesome EVs – with Octopus, you also get a free home charge point installed, plus free charge at home or complimentary miles of free public charging for when you’re on the road. All of this is from a company rated 5 stars for customer service. Octopus Electric Vehicles will be supporting the EVA Roadshow up to COP26 by providing test drives for attendees and help them understand how an electric lifestyle can work for them.