NHS Shetland has introduced a fleet of new MG4 EVs, helping staff get around the isles while also cutting its carbon footprint.
A total of 24 vehicles have been phased in to replace the former Mazda 2 fleet, which takes the NHS Board’s overall total electric car pool to 35.
NHS Scotland is aiming to become a net zero health service by 2040, with all vehicles to be net zero emission vehicles by December 2025.
To keep the vehicles on the road, the Board has also installed 22 EV charging points across NHS locations to ensure the fleet can recharge when required.
Charging points have been installed at nine health centre sites for use with NHS Shetland vehicles only.
In addition, four charging points have been installed at the Montfield Board HQ to support the higher cluster of pool vehicles based in Lerwick.
Funding of £76,000 for the charging point infrastructure came from the Scottish Government fleet decarbonisation programme.
The Board’s first electric car – a Nissan Leaf – entered the Community Nursing team’s pooled fleet in Lerwick in 2011.
Since 2016, the Board has been steadily increasing the proportion of its EV fleet and zero emission vehicles now account for 75% of the NHS overall vehicle fleet.
Gary Robinson, Board Chair, said, “This is an important step for NHS Shetland and it demonstrates our commitment to tackling climate change.
“By replacing almost all our fleet with fully electric vehicles, we are significantly reducing our emissions from our vehicles.”
