Java Electric: sharing an electric car on Java Island
Residents of an apartment complex on Java Island have had a brand new electric car since December 2018. They have leased and share a new Nissan Leaf with two other families, and it’s parked right under their building.
This article was adapted from one originally published by Gemeente Amsterdam: Elektrische auto delen vanuit eigen garage
“Sharing is the new thing,” says Carla Pyfferoen. Together with her neighbors Peter Wigman and Janneke Lam, she founded Java Electric. It has taken months but, now she can finally share an electric car with her neighbors. “For our family, the step to getting this car was not great. We already used shared cars, however, they were not electric and not parked in our own garage. The car is shared with three families: Over-75’s, a family with young children, and a single person. “
Practical
The residents opted for a new Nissan Leaf which is fully equipped and makes everyone is happy because it meets all of their diverse requirements. Carla says, ”With a fully charged car we can drive about 260 kilometers. The battery is recharged to a large extent within twenty minutes. Via an app, we reserve the car, and keep track of the number of kilometers driven. It has been very practical and so far I see no disadvantage.”
Clean transportation
“We like to contribute to the sharing economy, and it is cheaper for us to use a car in this way.” Carla says. “We are now creating clean emission-free kilometers, and contributing to cleaner air in Amsterdam. Our method is easy to replicate by anyone who is interested. I recommend it wholeheartedly, because it is quite easy to realize and there it’s very little hassle. We have given the car the name ‘Ubuntu’ which is a reference to the African philosophy “I am because we are.”
Going forward, Java Electric wants to enable electric car-sharing throughout Java Island. The municipality is also investigating how it can stimulate the rollout of charging points in garages.
For more information about electrification of transport in Amsterdam:
