Leased through Lex Autolease, which already manages 7,500 of SSE’s fleet and provides advice on vehicle selection, financing and best practice, the deal marks the first time a Scottish fleet has added the Ampera to its choice list and pool cars.

In addition to the first six, SSE’s group fleet manager Paul Groundwell has selected the Ampera as a company car, and another vehicle will be on display at the Scottish Hydro Centre for Renewable Excellence in Glasgow. From here, SSE is hoping to educate the public and offer free test drives of electric vehicles.

Further Amperas will be deployed at SSE’s sites nationwide over the coming months.

Taking delivery of the vehicles, SSE chief executive Ian Marchant said: ‘We are proud to be the first major fleet, and the first utility company, to put an electric car onto our company car policy.

‘As the UK's largest generator of electricity from renewable sources, we take our commitment to the environment very seriously. We are running the Ampera in our fleet as an electric vehicle that is usable every day and can cope with business needs.’

Mike Lauriello, corporate business development director at Lex Autolease added: ‘We are pleased to be working with SSE as an early adopter in bringing the Ampera onto its company car policy and will continue to work in partnership to ensure electric vehicles are commercially sustainable for fleets in the long-term.’