Dannevirke Community Vehicle Trust receives new hybrid car

Trustees responsible for the day to day running of the community vehicle (clockwise from left, Moana Beveridge, Pauline Brown and Sandra Haycock) take a seat and get the lowdown on the hybrid vehicle from driver John.

Dannevirke Community Vehicle Trust has a new vehicle.

The trust has taken delivery of the vehicle, a Ford Escape FHEV Hybrid, which runs on both electricity and petrol and is 25-30 per cent more efficient to run than a straight petrol engine.

John Clarke explains the basic operation of the new Ford Hybrid to the trustees.

KB Ford owner/manager John Clarke explained to the gathered trustees that the car never needs to be charged, as the petrol engine recharges the battery when it is running and most efficient.

This has the special advantage that there is no range limit except for petrol, allowing drivers trouble-free driving, the car capable of changing from electricity to petrol and vice versa when it assesses the need.

John says the most efficient running on electricity is on short trips, ideal for a community vehicle, and all the other added extras which come with modern cars like lane assist and automatic lights/windscreen wipers make this car a dream to drive.

This car replaces the Ford Mondeo which has been traded in, but the trust also has a fully electric Hyundai on permanent loan from Scanpower.

KB Ford owner John Clarke hands the keys of the new Ford Escape Hybrid to Terry Hynes, chairman of the Dannevirke Community Vehicle Trust, watched by current and past trustees.

Chairman of the Community Vehicle Trust, Terry Hynes, says the trust is hugely grateful to the Monty Fairbrother Charitable Trust for its substantial sponsorship which is recognised by its name on the vehicle.

Bob Dresser, who was the original chairman of the Dannevirke Community Vehicle Trust and Dannevirke Community Board chairman at the time the trust was set up, was there to see the new vehicle and says he could not be more delighted to see the new car and the progress of the trust.

“Who would think it would come to this,” he says.

The Dannevirke Community Vehicle Trust is in good shape with more than 20 volunteer drivers and many customers, quite a few of whom will be keen to try out a ride in a vehicle that sometimes has a sound when it is travelling and sometimes not.