One of the UK’s Vauxhall dealer groups is aiming to raise awareness of the brand’s electric models by replacing its courtesy car fleet with pure electric models. Customers taking their cars for servicing at Eden Vauxhall dealerships (in Banbury, Bracknell, Branksome, Camberley, Christchurch, Exeter, Fareham, Honiton, Newbury, Oxford, Reading, Swindon and Torbay) will be offered a new Corsa-E as a courtesy car when their own vehicle is in for servicing or repairs.

The move aims to ‘interest and educate’ drivers who may not normally have considered an EV by demonstrating how usable and flexible they are in daily use and dispelling myths around range anxiety and usability.

Vehicles will be fully charged when they leave the dealerships, giving a range of over 200 miles before needing a recharge; and when driving in ‘B-mode’, the Corsa-E’s regenerative braking system returns most of the energy from braking back to the battery, helping to maximise the car’s range.

James Kurd, Eden’s operations director, said: “We have seen a huge surge of interest in electric cars over recent months, especially since the recent shortages at petrol stations, a situation that has made customers think more about making the switch.

“At Eden Motor Group, we want to support our customers in choosing the right car for them, and this initiative allows them to sample an electric car completely free of charge, which will help them decide whether or not an EV is the correct choice for them in a complete no-pressure environment. It will also help us reduce the exhaust emissions of our courtesy car fleet across our Vauxhall network to zero.”