Social care provider Swanton Care has become one of the first UK providers to unveil a fleet of electric vehicles for use with the people they support.

New Nissan EVs have been rolled out to four of its services across Wales and England in the last few weeks.

Swanton says it is committed to playing its part in the drive towards net zero and the EV upgrade is a key element of its wider Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy.

The Nissan e-NV200s, which each have a range of up to 180 miles, will be used to help Swanton’s clients to enjoy daily trips out, go shopping and attend daily appointments.

Each of the four Swanton services, which provide learning disability support services, have been fitted with their own charging points to ensure the new vehicles are always ready to go.

Garry Cross, CEO of Swanton Care, said the new seven-seater electric vehicles would ensure individuals could continue to enjoy their independence while reducing local air pollution.

He said: “We are delighted to unveil the first of our EVs. Making the move to electric was really a no-brainer for us. It’s the right thing to work towards for the environment and they are more cost-effective in terms of running costs than diesel vehicles, which will help recoup the extra purchase costs.

“And we’re proud to be one of the first providers in the UK to make this switch. I would urge others to do the same – just make sure you remember to plug the car in when the battery is running a little low!”

The first services to get the electric cars are: Emerald Care’s Station House (Dinnington) and three Values in Care homes at The Old Vicarage (Bridgend), Pen Y Coed (Newport) and Maes Y Rhyddid (Pontypridd).