Electric Vehicle Project

Project Better Place developed from the realisation that vehicle emissions accounted for a growing portion of the world’s carbon footprint and the changing climate and diminishing supplies of fossil fuels required a major shift to low emission vehicles.

In 2008 − 2009, Climate Advocates lobbied for investment in electric car infrastructure, along the lines of the global Better Place model (www.betterplace.com). They discovered that the Irish government had already committed to a target of 10% of vehicles being electric by 2010, and had signed a contract which would provide a nationwide network of charging points and tax incentives on electric cars. Inspired by similar moves in Britain, the team then focused their efforts on the Northern Ireland Assembly with a view to securing a similar deal. They undertook further research on electric vehicle implementation, held stakeholder events in order to attract support for the scheme and began lobbying key government representatives in Northern Ireland. The group also developed and distributed a survey to gauge companies’ views on the use of electric vehicles and arranged presentations and information days between representatives in Northern Ireland and Ireland to ensure collaboration and compatibility across the island. As a result of their involvement in Challenge Europe, a consortium of government Ministers and officials, NGOs and businesses led by our Climate Advocate secured the Plugged In Places bid to access 850,000 pounds from the UK government to develop an electric car infrastructure in Northern Ireland.