Islander spent just €90 while clocking up 6,000km
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ISLANDER Caitriona Ni Bhuachalla spent just €90 on running costs during the first eight months behind the wheel of her electric Mega e-City car.
The teacher and mother of one, who is one of the 800 people living on Inis Mor in the Aran Islands, got one of the eight green vehicles supplied to islanders last January as part of an experiment by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
From January to August, Ms Ni Bhuachalla clocked up 6,000km which added an additional €90 to her home electricity bill from plugging the car in overnight.
"That is a huge saving if you compare it. No oil, no spark plugs and, in theory, no maintenance," she said, after exchanging her diesel vehicle for an e-car with a top speed of 64kmh and a maximum range of 80km.
"I do think it is the way forward for the island and the whole island of Ireland. We have to import all our fuel here on the island, so it would be fantastic if we didn't have to do that.
"As with anything, there will be teething problems. There have been difficulties in terms of the reliability of the charging," she said.
The teacher said she would be interested in purchasing an electric car at the end of the project, but possibly a different model.
She found it unsuitable for carrying older people long distances due to a lack of leg room and was "a bit small" in terms of collecting luggage from the boats.
- Louise Hogan
Irish Independent
