Louise will be test driving the Citroen C1 EV’IE, at 1pm outside County Hall, Chichester, as part of TravelWise and European Mobility Week, (September 16 to September 22).

The car, which cost £17,000 is one of the cheapest on the market and may be eligible for a Government grant of £5,000 which comes into force in January 2011, reducing this price still further. The EV’IE will be available for staff to use for short business trips and it is hoped that with the significantly reduced running costs, combined with regular business usage, the EV’IE will be self-funding after a few years.

The EV’IE gives significant environmental and economic benefits:

• There are no petrol or diesel costs. This car costs around 2p a mile in fuel.

• EV’IEs are zero emissions.

• EV’IE owners do not pay tax.

• Insurance costs are low.

Louise said: "The EV’IE is a sign of our ongoing commitment to improving corporate sustainability, and we hope to encourage businesses and residents alike to reduce their mileage while also making the environment cleaner by reducing emissions.

"The TravelWise and European Mobility Week also aims to raise awareness of the impact our travel choices have on the environment, our finances and general wellbeing."

During the week, the TravelWise team is also asking West Sussex residents to pledge to replace at least one car journey with a more sustainable one, such as walking, cycling or using public transport.

Pledges can be made online until Tuesday September 21, by visiting www.westsussex.gov.uk/travelwise, where you can have the chance to win a £150 gift voucher to spend in the shop of your choice. You can also enter the prize draw if you usually use sustainable modes to travel.

The County Council is also working with Southern Electric and other local authorities to develop a network of electric public recharging points across the south coast.

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