East Ayrshire Council’s electric vehicle fleet has reached an incredible milestone – one million miles to be exact, which is the equivalent of travelling the circumference of Earth 40 times.

The council started its journey with electric vehicles back in 2015, with the introduction of seven vehicles to their fleet. This number has grown year on year and there are now 91 vehicles in the electric fleet.

This switch to electric vehicles has saved the council approximately 150,000 litres of fuel and 260,000kg of CO2.

The vehicles are used by all council services including Catering Services, Health and Safety, Vibrant Communities and Ayrshire Roads Alliance.

Councillor Jim Roberts, Cabinet member with responsibility for Economy and Infrastructure, said: “This is definitely the way forward for East Ayrshire Council. We continue to be serious in our efforts to tackle climate change and to consider more energy efficient and carbon reduction projects.

“As the majority of journeys undertaken by our services tend to be short, low mileage trips, this switch to electric vehicles makes perfect sense for the council as a whole.

“As we continue our investment in electric vehicles, we are setting a positive example to other businesses and communities in East Ayrshire, and I am grateful for our staff and drivers who have embraced the change and the switch to new technology.

“I know many of them were initially sceptical but eventually were won over once they started using the vehicles.”

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson added: “It’s great to see East Ayrshire Council reach this fantastic milestone having ‘switched on’ to electric vehicles back in 2015.

“We’ve provided the council with over £969,000 since 2014 through our Switched On Fleets Fund and Air Quality Grants – helping them to meet our commitment of phasing out the need for new petrol or diesel cars in the public sector fleet by 2025.”