AJ Private Hire

AJ Private Hire

AJ Private Hire has provided a local taxi service in and around Gullane, East Lothian, since 2016. Most of its fares come from supporting the local golf industry and providing transport to locals.

Time to make the switch

Allan had been thinking about buying an electric vehicle (EV) for some time before he decided to apply for a Switched on Taxis Loan to buy one.

The savings on fuel costs and the reduced maintenance costs were key factors in making his decision. He was also interested in lowering the company’s carbon footprint and helping the local environment.

He had the opportunity to borrow an electric car for a test drive and see if it would be suitable as a private hire car. When Allan decided to go ahead and buy an EV, he visited his local dealership to learn more about what his EV options were.

Afterwards, Allan filled out our online form to start the process of applying for the loan. He found the process of applying for funding to be very straightforward, and the progress was easy to track online.

Following his successful application, Allan bought a Nissan LEAF N-Connecta.

First savings and customer feedback

Allan installed a small chargepoint at home so that it was easy for him to charge his EV. He’s now planning to install solar panels at his home to help offset the energy used from charging the car.

He’s found the battery life to be much as expected and aims to achieve four miles per kWh, but has found this isn’t always possible. Miles per kWh measures the efficiency of electric cars, with very efficient models able to achieve four miles or above. This figure lets you know how many miles the car can travel on one kWh or unit of electricity.

Longer journeys do need a bit of planning, as Allan has to make sure he has enough power to complete the trip plus any shorter fares that he books. However, he hasn’t found this forward planning difficult. But Allan recommends that EV owners get to know the EV fast charge network in their local area.

Allan has already seen cost savings of approximately 3p to 5p per mile. Customer feedback has also been very positive, with many remarking that they enjoy using a taxi service that’s better for the environment.

“I would say it’s essential to have a test drive and also spend time thinking about the practicalities of owning an EV.”

Allan Jardine, director, AJ Private Hire

Get in touch

For more information, visit the Switched on Taxis page or email sustainabletransport@est.org.uk