Drivers of the future are getting a taste of the car of the future. Driving instructor Paul Tomalin has taken delivery of a pure electric Nissan LEAF, becoming the first in the UK to use an EV to teach learners how to drive.
Paul, who’s based in Stoke-on-Trent and works for the ASK Driving School, chose the LEAF as he wanted a more environmentally friendly car in which to teach his pupils. But the fact that he’ll save upwards of £2,800 (€3,250) a year in fuel bills might also have had something to do with his decision!
Paul, who’s been an instructor for 14 years, reckons he covers around 25,000 miles (40,000 kms) a year. He charges the car overnight for his morning lessons and then uses a quick charger over lunch so he can take another couple of lessons in the afternoon.
So far the Nissan ‘Learner LEAF’ has been a huge hit with pupils who all remark on how easy it is to drive. One of the first to try the LEAF had previously failed her test twice driving conventional cars. But using the LEAF for her third test, she sailed through with no errors, praising the LEAF’s ability to calm her nerves.
Paul believes his LEAF makes the perfect car for learners. “The pupils love the LEAF and the immediate success they have had underlines what an easy car it is to drive,” he said, adding that many of his fellow instructors are now considering running a LEAF, too.
Paul isn’t the first driving instructor to use a LEAF, however. Over in Norway, the Oslo-based ABC Trafikkskole used their LEAF to help young mum Solveig Marie Ødegård pass her test first time… but the remarkable thing is that Solveig Marie has never driven a car powered by a petrol or diesel engine in her entire life.
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