Toyota GB has launched a new community programme to loan electric vehicles to various charities and educational institutions across the UK.

A fleet of nine-seater Proace Verso Shuttle people carriers are available for loan periods of two years

A fleet of 42 nine-seater Proace Verso Shuttle people carriers are available for loan periods of two years. To help the benefiting organisations make the transition to an electric vehicle, Toyota is also providing a £1,000 grant towards the purchase of a wallbox charger.

Toyota is supplying vehicles to its long-standing charity partners to help them with the work they do and is also asking Toyota and Lexus centres to nominate local charities to benefit from the programme.

The first deliveries have already been made to Surrey Wildlife Trust, along with Power Up charity, Nottingham, which promotes and enhances the physical and mental well-being of young people and adults including refugees, individuals with disabilities, and marginalised groups, through sport and fitness.

Jawaid Khaliq, founder of Power Up, commented: “We plan to use the vehicle to support our mission of fostering inclusion, empowerment, and well-being across the community. The vehicle will also serve as a critical resource for transporting disabled students to our venue. By addressing the transportation barriers faced by these underserved groups, the vehicle will play a key role in ensuring that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, can access opportunities that improve their lives and contribute to the community.”

Wings South West, a charity that works with disadvantaged groups in Torridge/North Devon, will also receive a Proace Verso Shuttle.

Andrew Best, operations manager for Wings South West, said: “We’ll use the Toyota Verso to provide free transport for students attending our Wings College and Academy in Abbotsham, which can be challenging for those struggling with anxiety and mental health to access due to its remote location. We’ll also use it to take members of our disability group (Unity) and Ukrainian hub to activities provided off-site from our Bideford base.”

Scott Thompson, Toyota (GB) president and managing director, said: “We want this programme to help people across the country overcome barriers to mobility and, at the same time, support community organisations in making the transition to electric vehicles.

“We know that it can be a big decision for a community organisation to switch to an EV; hopefully this programme will give them a useful introduction to the benefits of all-electric motoring.”