Loop PR

If you're new here and think what you are reading could be useful, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting and please, feel free to leave a comment!

Car club introduces Europe’s first plug-in electric car

The UK’s largest car club is going electric.

From next week, Streetcar is giving the general public the chance to drive one of Europe’s first plug-in electric hybrid cars.

In a joint initiative with Camden Council and Transport for London (TfL), the Amberjac conversion Prius (one of only 25 such cars in the world) will be added to Streetcar’s fleet of 1,200 pay-as you-go vehicles.

It will be operated from Camden’s Bloomsbury Car Park in Holborn.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Car clubs are a great way to be green and it’s even better news that Londoners will be able to use a cleaner car to make their trips. I want London to be at the forefront of the electric car revolution and initiatives such as this are an important stepping stone along the way.”

The car has a revolutionary plug-in facility, allowing its battery to be charged from a domestic outlet (preferably with renewable energy) or an on-street electric charging point. It has an electric only range of around 35 miles¹ and with the majority of car club trips being under this mileage, Streetcar has estimated that over 66% of journeys in the car will release zero exhaust emissions. This will benefit local air quality.

Announcing this motoring first, Brett Akker, Streetcar’s co-founder, said: “Our 55,000 members are expected to rise to 250,000 by 2012, as more and more people recognise the environmental and cost benefits of joining a car club. Once they have made that decision, we want to offer them the best possible service – and, from next week, our members will be the first people in Europe to hire a car with this electric technology.”

Cllr, Chris Knight, Camden Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Camden Council is charged up about electric cars and the introduction of Europe’s first electric car club. More people sharing mean fewer cars on the road so less congestion and pollution – and that’s great news for the environment. Also as the credit crunch bites, the message is hitting home that using car clubs instead of owning a vehicle can bring big savings.”

The advantage of the plug-in hybrid over a pure electric car is versatility. Where an electric vehicle would simply run out of charge if a Streetcar member couldn’t recharge it; the plug-in simply switches to the regular combustion engine. This means it is suitable for short city driving and for longer trips.

And even when it does go beyond its electric only capacity, it still makes huge energy savings. At speeds of 50 to 60 mph, an average of over 100 mpg is possible as the plug-in uses stored electric energy from the battery system.

By comparison a standard hybrid has an electric only range of 1-2 miles before the conventional engine cuts in. It uses a battery working with the conventional engine to deliver only small efficiency at low speeds with the battery being recharged by the engine itself.

Regular Streetcar user, Philip Day, said: “ I have read so much about electric cars and am delighted that Streetcar will now give me the chance to actually try one out. It must be the way forward for motoring”.

With every Streetcar vehicles being used by 45 different drivers, this plug-in vehicle is the first super low-emission car to viably remove privately owned vehicles off the road.

Ends

Contact Louise Evans, Streetcar PR, on 07891 242476

Contact Camden Council’s press office on 020 7974 5717 or pressoffice@camden.gov.uk

Notes to Editor

1. The Plug-in Prius conversion is rated as one of the greenest cars available across all metrics (MPG of more than 100, low Co2, low cost/mile) ADD COMPARISON TABLE HERE

2 Each car has an average of 45 users and, of those, over half chose not to buy (or replace) a car when they join the club. Streetcar has already taken over 20,000 privately-owned cars off the UK’s streets and is aiming to prevent the emission of around 50,000 tonnes of CO₂ over the next two years.

3. According to the RAC’s annual research, the cost of owning a car has rocketed by 19% since last year, with the average family spending £2435 to keep their vehicle on the road. Additional costs such as finance, insurance and depreciation bring this figure to £6133*. Car owners typically save over £2,000 per year after joining Streetcar. *(Source: http://www.rac.co.uk/web/know-how/motoring-news/article.cgi?id=A275687121222855017A&topic=GENERAL+MOTORING)

4.Transport for London’s financial support for this project is part of a £1m investment package to support the growth of car clubs across London over the next two years. This will bring around a third of London residents within just a five minute walk of a car club vehicle, enabling cleaner, greener travel across the Capital.

The UK’s largest pay-as-you-go car club is to become the first to offer one way trips.

Streetcar is responding to members’ demands to drop off their hire car at a different location from where they picked it up¹.

As Brett Akker, Streetcar co-founder explains: “The phenomenal success of our pay- as- you- go service means that more and more people want to use our cars for a wider variety of trips². Some of these, such as driving to the airport or moving house are one-way. We’ve had a great response to the new service in trials and it’s now available across the network, from today.”

The new one-way service is simple to use. Streetcar’s members simply book a one-way trip online or over the phone, pick up their car or van from its dedicated parking bay and drive it to their destination, from where it will be retrieved by the company and returned to its resident location. There is no limit on the length of trip and the service is available daily from 7am until 10pm.

Edward Rosa, who regularly travels to Heathrow Airport said: “Instead of paying £60 for my taxi and having to worry whether it will pick me up on time, I can just book a Streetcar, have the flexibility of driving myself to the airport and then just drop it off for less than £50.”

Laura Thomson, who used the service, at the trial stage, to move house, said: “It’s an absolutely brilliant service. We moved out of London and didn’t want to have to return the car after we’d unpacked all our belongings. We parked it right outside our new home, and had nothing more to worry about. It was a much cheaper and more convenient alternative to a traditional hire car. ”

The new one-way service also offers greater flexibility if plans change and it’s no longer convenient for members to drop the car back.

William Butler, who became the first person to take advantage of the new service, said: “I love the flexibility – I can use the car and then leave it at my destination if my plans change and I decide to stay over. I don’t clock up hours overnight and it feels just like owning my own car.”

It can also mean no more wasted working hours sitting in waiting for deliveries. Members can now do it themselves using a Streetvan close to IKEA or Homebase and dropping the vehicle back at their house once they’ve unloaded their sofa or patio furniture.

For David Boden, it has already proved the ideal and convenient option for transporting a large purchase: “I have very recently bought a bathroom suite, and used Streetcar to take the goods home with me there and then. It was great to avoid a frustrating delivery delay, as well as the inconvenience of a vague delivery slot.”

“The opportunities really are numerous and no doubt more will spring up as word continues to spread about the service,” said Brett.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors

1. To cover the cost of ensuring all the companies’ 1,000 vehicles are where they should be to meet customer demand, there is a pick-up fee of £24.50 on one-way trips. Hire charges start at £3.95 per hour, with the first 30 miles of petrol free. Additional details can be found at www.streetcar.co.uk or www.streetvan.co.uk

1. Streetcar has seen a 50% increase in membership year on year for the first quarter of 2009, highlighting people’s desire to switch out of car ownership into Streetcar. Latest industry research also shows that for every Streetcar launched, 16 privately-owned cars are sold. This compares to just 8 a year ago. Combined with those who defer purchase of a car and join a car club instead, this figure rises to 26 cars taken off the road for every Streetcar added.

• Case studies are available on request.
  
• contact Loop PR for more details hello at loop-pr do co dot uk
  

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH THE MEDIA
• If possible, keep media handling to a small team of experienced individuals and one or two selected spokespeople.

• Don’t differentiate between local and national media – try and give all the main outlets the same spokesperson to ensure consistency of message and personality.

• No comment – no way. What the media doesn’t know, they make up – this is why it’s vital to give as much information as is possible to the media, without compromising the company’s reputation. In doing so, it’s possible to exert greater influence over the angle the media might take.

• Be helpful on the phone – it’s important in reinforcing positive image of a company in control and, in particular, to reinforce suggestion there is nothing to hide.

• Off the record - sometimes press officers try and give background information, not for print. In a crisis situation all bets are off and ‘off the record’ is simply too risky a strategy.

• Never lie – this goes without saying but is occasionally overlooked!

• The mantra or FAQ is a must for all spokespeople as it allows these key individuals to keep to agreed parameters.

A press conference offers the ideal opportunity to communicate with many journalists, but within a formal and controlled setting. It does need to be carefully organised and the following gives a summary of everything which needs to be covered.

PREPARING FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE

· Choose location

· Send an advisory note to key media to alert them to timing and location

· Ensure adequate power outlets in room for TV cameras

· Ensure PA equipment is available – microphones and loudspeakers

· Arrange cordless microphone to pass around reporters during the Q&A session

· Ensure adequate lighting on speakers’ table or podium

· Position speakers’ table by the door, if possible, to ensure quick exit after briefing

· Arrange security: only bona fide journalists are allowed to attend

· Prepare name signs to identify speakers

· Set up table at entrance with registration form and tray for name cards

· Delegate one staff member to act as ‘MC’ to introduce speakers and control proceedings

· Stipulate that you will only allow a limited number of questions after the statement has been read out

· Ensure that there is someone to take notes

· Ensure speaker(s) leave immediately after the briefing is over.

We’re currently working with Professor Mark Enright, Head of Microbiology at Imperial College London – he’s just published research into a new MRSA deterrent which is set to revolutionise the medical profession’s handling of the disease.

He’s found that Cliniweave, a unique antimicrobial agent has proved to be more than 1,000 times more effective than other agents at tackling the disease and is likely to reduce infection rates significantly. What’s more, it can be integrated into just about anything found in hospitals (bedside tables, light switches, air conditioning filters, paints, plastics etc..).  It makes it impossible for bacteria to survive and for the first time offers a real chance at a truly clean hospital ward.

Here’s the news release:

UK MRSA EXPERTS UNVEIL THE WORLD’S MOST EFFECTIVE AND VERSATILE SUPERBUG TECHNOLOGY

A unique antimicrobial technology which can be integrated into everything found within the hospital setting (including bedside tables, light switches and even air conditioning filters) could dramatically reduce the spread of MRSA according to new research.

The technology, Cliniweave, has been studied at Imperial College London by leading microbiologist Professor Mark Enright who compared its effectiveness against three silver-based antimicrobial fabrics in reducing the bacteria associated with MRSA.  The results showed that only Cliniweave-treated samples demonstrated significant antibacterial activity against high concentrations of MRSA, severely reducing bacterial numbers within just one hour.

This suggests that if Cliniweave technology is brought into hospital wards – to eliminate bacteria at points where people interact (such as ward curtains, door coverings and plastic pens and clipboards) – it will be extremely beneficial in reducing the burden of infections.

Professor Mark Enright of Imperial College London said: “Our research indicates that Cliniweave is potently antibacterial; not only did it prove effective but it was also extremely fast acting.  The spread of infection continues to be a major concern in the NHS and our study suggests that Cliniweave may prove to be an important weapon in reducing the frequency of these.”

Cliniweave is effective against hospital pathogens including MRSA, C. Difficile, and E. coli. Tests are underway to test efficacy against other agents such as anthrax and SARS.  George Costa Managing Director of IFT, makers of Cliniweave said: “After nearly five years of research and testing Cliniweave is now ready for market.  The results of the testing at Imperial College means that our unique technology can ensure a major breakthrough in the battle against hospital acquired infections. Cliniweave finally provides the NHS a tested and proven antibacterial technology that fits seamlessly and cost effectively alongside the very good hand hygiene and cleaning regimes that are now standard across UK hospitals.

David Nicholson, the Chief Executive of the  National Health Service says he “remains acutely aware that infection remains the public’s number one concern” and this is why meeting targets for reducing hospital infections is one of the top five priorities for the NHS. Cliniweave will help in the battle to make Britain’s hospitals amongst the safest in the world once more.

-Ends-

Notes to Editors:

For media enquiries or to arrange interviews with either Professor Mark Enright or IFT’s George Costa please call Paul Johnson on 01252 725 346 or 07979 592 252

Comparative tests carried out over a Five -year period at Imperial College prove conclusively that Cliniweave is over a thousand times more effective against bacteria associated with hospital acquired infections including MRSA and Clostridium difficile compared to silver-based antimicrobial technologies[i].

Cliniweave is a unique technology that imparts an antimicrobial function to fibres, plastic and paper.  The proprietary active ingredient powering Cliniweave technology offers effective antibacterial protection that could help reduce the spread of hospital and community acquired infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.

When Cliniweave is incorporated into a product it can kill bacteria and prevent the spread of germs that come into contact with the treated surface, improving cleanliness and therefore reducing the risk of cross-contamination.  Cliniweave can be integrated into textiles, papers, plastics, powder paints, coatings and varnishes.  When used as part of a thorough cleanliness regime, Cliniweave acts as a second line of defence, working consistently on all treated surfaces to create a holistic antimicrobial environment in settings where hygiene is paramount.

Cliniweave uniquely employs a triple attack against bacteria; disrupting membrane transport function (metal chelation), inhibiting  ATP synthesis, and disrupting the cell wall coupling enzyme.  This combination ensures rapid bacteria death and does not promote bacterial resistance developing.

The environmentally friendly active ingredient that provides Cliniweave’s unmatched levels of antibacterial performance exceeds British Standards wash durability testing and meets the safety requirements of the European Commission.

The active ingredient is registered with the Biocide Directive and is already approved by the US EPA for use in household chemicals.