Neath Port Talbot Council has introduced two new electric vehicles to its fleet of pool cars as part of its commitment to creating a cleaner, greener future for the area.

The Renault Zoe cars have a range of around 170 miles and their lithium-ion batteries can be topped up at charging points in Neath Port Talbot Council’s SRC (Service Response Centre) at The Quays, Briton Ferry.

The popularity of electric cars in the UK has shot up over the last few years, with more than 214,000 plug-in vehicles on the road in 2019, compared with just 3,500 in 2013.

Councillor Ted Latham, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Engineering, called at The Quays this week to take a first-hand look at the two new arrivals.

He said:

“We are committed to reducing our carbon emissions so these vehicles will help play a big part in this and they will also give us experience of the best way to integrate alternative fuel vehicles into our fleet as more and more green vehicles come on the market.”

The Council, currently in the process of developing a new Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy Strategy, is considering a range of other renewable energy vehicles for its fleet in the future, including the possibility of procuring an electric/hydrogen hybrid vehicle as well as electric vans and more cars.

At the same time, the Council is continuing with a wide range of green projects. One of these involves the Council playing a central role in FLEXIS, a multi-million pound project to create next generation low carbon energy systems.

Neath Port Talbot is the base for the only demonstration area in Wales for FLEXIS, which aimed at developing a major energy research capability in Wales.

Neath Port Talbot Council, according to the latest Welsh Government figures, is also is the local authority area in Wales with the highest total renewable energy capacity (358 MW) and the greatest renewable energy generation with an estimated 1122 GWh.

This is due to the commissioning of projects such as the Lynfi Afan and Mynydd Brombil onshore wind projects and the creation of biomass, solar and other renewable energy schemes across the County Borough.

The figures are contained in the Welsh Government’s Energy Generation in Wales 2017 report – 2017 being the latest year for which figures are available for renewable energy generation by local authority area in Wales. Another report is due in August 2019.