The funding from the European Union’s Climate Knowledge Innovation Community will be used to develop commercial, environmental and socially inclusive business plans which will support investment in electric mobility in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

The project is being co-ordinated by Cenex and will operate in Poland, Spain and Italy as well as the West Midlands and Scotland in the UK.  The project commenced with a summit in Birmingham on 16 February, at which key project partners agreed the delivery plan for the coming year.

‘For far too long, low carbon vehicles have been the plaything of a privileged few,’ commented Keith Budden, head of business development at Cenex. ‘Electric vehicles can and must provide affordable, accessible as well as green travel for all and that is why this project is so important.

‘The transition to electric vehicles is essential as they are key to cutting carbon and improving air quality. The EU funds will enable us to develop replicable business cases and secure investment for community electric car clubs. We want to make the use of low carbon vehicles significantly cheaper and more convenient than the high carbon, polluting alternatives.’

‘A number of our customers are faced with falling living standards and rising transport costs,' added Rosemary Coyne, UK project partner from the Accord Group, one of the Midlands largest housing associations.

‘This project is seeking to find solutions to the problem using new green technology and we believe that electric cars can achieve a cleaner greener, cheaper solution. We are delighted to be working with Cenex and partners from across the EU.’