NHS Lothian has invested more than £525,000 on 58 new electric vehicles and 46 charging stations as part of its ongoing efforts to be a leader in sustainable healthcare.
The latest order, which includes Nissan e-NV200s, brings the total number of EVs in NHS Lothian to 187 – just over a quarter of its fleet.
It received its first three electric vehicles in ten years ago and Transport Scotland provided funding which resulted in an additional 39 electric vehicles being added to the fleet in 2019.
Since 2019, the electric fleet has travelled over 1.5 million miles and has been used by teams such as podiatry, physiotherapy and forensic.
The average car emits 0.78 pounds of CO2 per mile driven, which means NHS Lothian has prevented about 500 tonnes of CO2 being released into local communities.
Iain Sneddon, Transport Manager for NHS Lothian, said, “Climate change poses the biggest threat to global health and its vital that we adapt to this as an organisation, not just as individuals.
“Electric vehicles are the preference when we’re looking to grow our fleet or replace vehicles. Not only are they a cleaner alternative, but they have the added benefit of being more cost-effective.”
Dr Jane Hopton, Sustainability Lead for NHS Lothian, added, “Making our fleet greener is part of our wider strategy to ensure NHS Lothian is a leader in sustainable healthcare.
“We’ve also been working to reduce the impact medical gasses have on the environment, as well growing our green spaces and improving our energy infrastructure.
“Iain and his team have done a fantastic job over the last few years with the fleet and have clearly had a huge impact already on reducing NHS Lothian’s carbon footprint.”
