In a UK first, Arnold Clark has partnered with ScottishPower, allowing motorists to arrange all aspects of electric vehicle ownership when buying an electric vehicle (EV) in an Arnold Clark branch.
Arnold Clark customers will now be able to:
- Purchase or lease an EV of their choice.
- Book a home charging point installation.
- Sign up to an exclusive 100% renewable electricity tariff.
- Gain access to the ScottishPower App which is the first to facilitate smart charging.
The partnership comes after ScottishPower announced it would become the first large energy company in the UK to produce 100% green electricity.
ScottishPower made the decision after commissioning new research as carried out by YouGov. The research shows that the number of adults thinking about buying an electric vehicle will rise rapidly in the next three years.
Of 2,000 adults surveyed, a third of those who don’t currently own an electric vehicle would be more likely to consider purchasing one if the manufacturers guaranteed that their power would come from 100% renewable sources.
YouGov research predicts one in five adults surveyed will consider an EV purchase in the next three years.
- Independent research predicts rapid EV growth – The survey points to a dramatic increase in British adults considering switching to an electric vehicle by October 2021.
- First full end-to-end package to make switching easier and accelerate the electrification of transport – Available when purchasing a car through Arnold Clark and grant eligible.
- 100% renewable electricity tariff – Electric vehicles reduce carbon and improve air quality.
- Choice of vehicle manufacturers – ScottishPower’s unique partnership with Arnold Clark enables customers to choose the brand of car they want.
- UK’s smallest and smartest charge point – Low profile design that can be connected to existing control panel without any new cabling to the street.
- Customers know immediately how much it is to fill up – Smart phone advanced features enable the exact cost of each charge to be displayed, just like filling up at the pumps.
By taking part in the new scheme, motorists will be able to take advantage of ScottishPower’s industry-leading app, which allows you to remotely schedule charging via your smart phone – at any time day or night. This makes it easier for EV drivers to take advantage of cheaper unit rates at off-peak times.
When car owners are away from home, it also maps other charging point locations helping drivers top up easily.
Pulsar, the at-home ScottishPower EV Charge Point powered by Wallbox, is the UK’s smallest and smartest fast charging point with charging taking 50% less time than some others currently available*.
The poll also showed while one in two adults in the YouGov poll disagreed that an EV charger at home will be the same size as a petrol pump, 46% didn’t know if they would need new cabling work to their home meaning that the front of the drive would need to be dug up.
With the ScottishPower EV Charge Point, they don’t.
Along with scheduled charging, it can be remotely locked for security too, easing concerns for more than one in three adults (35%) who are worried that another EV driver could use their home charging point without their permission.
Although retail pricing is £899, the currently available £500 OLEV grant under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme brings the cost to £399, subject to grant conditions.
Keith Anderson, ScottishPower CEO, described the package as a ‘game-changer’ to accelerate the take-up of electric vehicles.
‘The signals couldn’t be clearer – people are telling us they want electric vehicles faster than expected, and that means the decarbonisation of our transport system, and improved air quality, can be delivered faster too.
‘At ScottishPower, we’ve worked hard to decarbonise our own electricity generation. We’ve shut our coal-fired power stations, sold our gas ones and built more than two gigawatts of renewable wind power. We strongly believe the decarbonisation of the UK’s transport system has to be next. That’s why we’re accelerating the switch to electric vehicles by giving customers everything they need to make the change hassle-free.
‘Never before has someone buying an electric vehicle been able to receive one of the world’s smartest domestic charging points, a tariff designed specifically for electric vehicles that are 100% renewable electricity, and access a bespoke app that manages the charging point and maps other locations all in the same easy process.
‘We’re incredibly proud to bring this to the market today in conjunction with our partners at Arnold Clark, the UK’s largest independent car dealership. Following our recent announcement that we’ll soon be the first big energy company in the UK to be producing 100% renewable electricity, today demonstrates a further commitment by ScottishPower to deliver a better future, quicker, for everyone. The UK Government has set ambitious targets for electric vehicle uptake and we believe this will be a game-changer in the drive to achieve them.’
Eddie Hawthorne, Arnold Clark Chief Executive and Group Managing Director, said:
‘The landscape of the automotive market is changing and, inevitably, so is the buying behaviour of our customers. Arnold Clark will continue to provide great value for money and knowledge on a range of electric vehicles throughout the UK with the additional incentive that our new partners, ScottishPower, will provide a network of recharging points to keep you on the move with confidence.’
*Charging a new Nissan Leaf (40 kWh battery) takes in excess of 15 hours to charge if you plug into a standard plug socket. With ScottishPower’s Smart EV charge point, you can get a full charge in approximately seven hours.