The island is ideal for electric vehicle technology, measuring only 15km in length and with a land area of 88 kilometres square, yet there are 2,000 passenger cars registered on Terschilling which average around 30 hours per year on the road.

Its 4,800 residents will have priority usage for the fleet, which is expected to cover around 110,000 kilometres per year, or around 10% of the islanders’ total mileage, while cutting fuel consumption by 15%.

Residents will be able to access the cars using the smartphone app and membership card, charged at €0.19 per minute excluding VAT, while visitors will be able to rent a LEAF from local ferry operator Rederij Doeksen. A network of charging points has been installed for the cars, which will to expand the fleet to 100 vehicles as demand grows.

The initiative is run by Schylge-E-Auto, with Friesland and Terschelling District Council as part of an ongoing sustainability programme in the Wadden Sea region, which began in 2007.