Is your business eligible?

To determine whether your business is eligible for the Surrey County Council EV Scheme, consider the following questions:

• Do you do at least 150 single journeys per year? That’s about three trips a week or 12 trips a month on the A3 between the A31 junction to Farnham and Guildford’s University of Surrey junction. See the map at here.

• Do you drive at least one diesel light commercial vehicle (N1) that you’ve owned for at least a year?

• Has your business or charity been trading for at least two years in the UK?

• Have you received less than £315,000 in subsidy over the last three years? To check click here.

Are the scheme grants compatible with other funding?

The Surrey Council EV Scheme can be used with the following options:

• The government’s plug-in grant, if available.

• Finance, lease or cash on the remainder of the vehicle’s cost.

• Scrappage schemes, if eligible.

• Surrey County Council’s decarbonisation loan programme (up to £25,000 or up to 50% of vehicle costs).

How does the scheme work?

• Check if your business or charity fits the eligibility criteria.

• Find the new fully electric van from the eligible vehicle list that best suits your business needs.

• Apply for a grant online here. Make sure you don’t place an order before your application is approved.

• Your business application will be reviewed and approved by Surrey County Council.

• You will be issued with a voucher for the value of the approved grant to bring along to Hendy Nissan. The voucher is valid for 90 days. The grant is net of VAT taken off the full price of the vehicle only, excluding any additional services that we may also provide and charge for. You will not receive any money directly.

• Complete the vehicle purchase with finance, cash or lease purchase Hendy Nissan.

• Pick up your new fully electric van or minibus, fitted with its telematic device, from your local Hendy Nissan dealership. Note: You must drive at least 150 single journeys on the Farnham-Guildford section of the A3 each year for two years. See map here.

Why go electric?

Save on fuel and maintenance costs

An electric van has no oil to change, no engine to manage and there are fewer parts to wear down. This means EVs are generally more cost-efficient and easier to maintain. Plus, there will be no clean air zone charges when travelling in other towns and cities.

Designed with the future in mind

Electric vehicles help you to future-proof your business fleet. They have access to the ever-expanding clean air zones, while fitting neatly into the government’s electric future plan: phasing out new petrol and diesel car and van sales by 2030 and all new cars and vans being zero-emission at the tailpipe by 2035.

Less air pollution

The stretch of the A3 from the Farnham A31 junction to the Guildford University junction is the most polluted road in the UK, excluding London. Vans account for only 15% of the traffic but a huge 45% of the nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) air pollution. Switch to an EV and help make the air cleaner.

Undisrupted routes

Access to major cities and towns is easy as you have access to clean air zones, meaning you don’t have to plan your route around avoiding them.

More efficient engines

Electric motors are 77% efficient – they get more than twice as many miles out of the same amount of energy as petrol engines.*

Better driving experience

Electric vans offer instant torque, providing quick acceleration and smoother driving experiences. EVs also tend to have a lower centre of gravity due to battery placement, meaning better stability and handling. EVs are also quieter, so they produce less noise pollution for a more enjoyable drive.

It’s greener

Electric vehicles have half the climate impact over their lifetime compared to the average diesel equivalent.* Plus, electricity is getting cleaner all the time, using less fossil fuel and more renewables in its production.

*Source: Electric cars are greener than petrol cars, Greenpeace UK.