MOTABILITY Operations, the largest vehicle leasing company across the UK, will put accessible electric driving to the test as they embark on a 500-mile electric vehicle (EV) rally across Wales, starting November 13th.
Motability Operations runs the Motability Scheme, through which more than 58,000 disabled people in Wales lease an affordable and accessible vehicle, including over 5,000 EV drivers. The Cymru EV Rally will take the team on a two-day journey through the heart of Wales, from the Brecon Beacons to the North Wales coast, and back through mid-Wales. This challenging route will provide crucial insights into the realities of EV charging for Motability Scheme customers and drivers with accessibility needs.
Molly Chauhan, a long-time Scheme customer taking part in the rally said: “As a Motability Scheme customer for over a decade, I’m excited to be involved in this year’s rally.
“The Scheme has been life-changing for me, and I want to help ensure that electric vehicles are accessible to everyone, regardless of their needs. I’m looking forward to experiencing an EV on longer journeys and seeing if it’s practical for my needs.
“I do have concerns about charging accessibility, particularly having enough space to manoeuvre my wheelchair. This will be a good opportunity to learn more about having an EV as a wheelchair user to help have more informed conversations around this and ultimately help me decide if EVs would work for me personally”.
Motability Operations is supporting its customers in the transition to EVs, so they can remain mobile and independent as the automotive industry shifts to electric. The organisation wants to work closely with the industry and the Welsh Government to collaborate on its plans for EV adoption, which aims for confident charging access for all by 2025. This year’s EV rally provides further opportunity to gather on the ground insights to help inform improvements to the accessibility, affordability, and reliability of regional charging infrastructure.
Ross Smith, Scheme Stakeholder Executive and Scheme customer, said: “We know that the switch to electric can be daunting, especially for people like myself who rely on public charging and have specific accessibility requirements.
“This rally is about experiencing those challenges first-hand, so we can work with our partners to find solutions that truly work for everyone in Wales and across the UK.
“On a more personal level, this is my first experience with an EV, I hope this trip will help build on my knowledge and enable me to have more informed conversations with both healthcare professionals and customers.
“Most of all, I’m looking forward to two days of testing an EV WAV, seeing how it performs compared to my current vehicle, and, of course, experiencing the beautiful Wales countryside.”
