Despite the recent transition to greener vehicles, there is still life left in the diesel car industry, according to the CEO of Maxol.
Brian Donaldson, head of the Irish forecourt chain, told the Irish Independent that, people are being too quick in writing the obituary of diesel.
“Yes, it has come through a very tough time, but I still believe it has a role to play," he told the Irish Independent.
Green Driving
While diesel sales have struggled, electric vehicle sales in the first quarter of 2019 alone reached 1,731.
This is a 308% increase on the same period in 2018.
However, Donaldson highlighted the high number of diesel cars being imported from the UK, and added that he found it difficult to imagine electric vehicles being used for long-distance haulage.
He suggested that for many living in rural Ireland, diesel would still be the number one choice, especially amongst farmers.
He revealed that Maxol is monitoring the electric vehicle space, adding that the group plans to launch pilot electric vehicle charging facilities in up to six of its forecourts this year.
He said they will be located in the larger cities “where electrification is likely to adopt much more quickly”.
"From our perspective, we will give our customers what they need, if there is a growing demand for electrification on our sites then we will make those facilities,” Donaldson said.
© 2019 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Aidan O’Sullivan. Click sign-up to subscribe to Checkout.
