While many appreciate the convenience of owning a car, the cost of insurance and petrol means that it can be expensive, the emissions are bad for the environment and it can be impossible if you live somewhere with no allocated parking. 

We have good news! In partnership with TrydaNi, a community-owned electric car-sharing service that operates across Wales, the Swansea Community Car scheme has launched, giving you access to borrow an EV (Electric Vehicle) car at minimal cost.

If you need the occasional use of a car, perhaps to do your fortnightly ‘big shop’, take the family out for a day on Gower, or visit relatives; join the new EV (Electric Vehicle) car club for Swansea residents.

Roxane Dacey, Head of Prevention and Community Services at SCVS, said “Over the last couple of years we’ve been working with community members to work through the barriers that people have to getting out and about in Swansea. Public transport is part of the solution, but there was an appetite for a community car scheme as a possible solution to address some of those barriers.

“We’re delighted this week to launch the Swansea Community car scheme in partnership with TrydaNi!

“The car is located at the back of the SCVS building on Walter Road in central Swansea, and can be booked 7 days a week. People just need to join the car club, which is free of charge, upload their key documents, and wait for approval, which usually takes about 3 working days. Once that’s done they can go ahead and book the car to use whenever they need it.

“The whole system works remotely through the TrydaNi app which you’ll use to unlock the car once you’ve signed up, and we have a dedicated electric charging point next to the car, so it will be ready to go when you are.”

What’s more, by joining TrydaNi you’ll have access to their network of community car schemes across Wales, which means by linking up with public transport, a whole network of travel destinations open up.

The Swansea car is a 5-door Hyundai Kona, with a 280-mile range, and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The car costs £2 an hour to book (with a cap of £30 for 24hrs), and then 16p a mile (for the first 100 miles) which also includes electricity for the first 100 miles of any booking. 

To find out more or to sign up, visit: www.trydani.org