Hiyacar Featured in Innovate UK’s Net Zero Innovation Adoption Case Studies
We’re proud to announce that Hiyacar has been featured in Innovate UK Business Connect’s newly published Net Zero Innovation Adoption Case Studies report. This recognition highlights our collaboration with East Lothian Council as a shining example of how innovative transport solutions can help accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero.
The report, developed by Innovate UK’s Adopt and Accelerate programme, brings together a diverse range of real-world projects across sectors such as energy, agriculture, the built environment, and transport. Each case study shares a common thread: they are practical, forward-thinking responses to the climate challenge, driving the adoption of net zero solutions at pace and scale.
Our case study – “Sharing pool cars with the public as a car club in East Lothian” – showcases our work in delivering a fully managed electric vehicle (EV) car club service for East Lothian Council. This innovative model allows council-owned EVs to be used for business travel during working hours and then made available to the public in the evenings, on weekends, and during public holidays.
This dual-use system not only helps reduce the council’s reliance on privately owned vehicles (commonly known as the ‘grey fleet’)—thereby cutting emissions and costs—but also ensures wider community access to affordable, zero-emission transport. Importantly, 100% of public rental revenues go back to the Council, creating a self-sustaining, community-centric transport solution.
Working closely with East Lothian Council, we identified five key locations to host the vehicles based on grey fleet mileage data and existing EV charging infrastructure. We supported the rollout with tailored promotional materials, local awareness campaigns, and community engagement events. Training sessions were also delivered to council staff to ensure a smooth transition from private vehicles to our EVs.
This initiative is not only helping to decarbonise public sector transport but also introducing flexible, shared mobility to communities that may not otherwise have access to electric vehicles.
We’re thrilled to be included in this national showcase of innovation and proud to be part of the UK’s growing movement toward sustainable transport. As we continue to scale and replicate this model in other regions, we look forward to supporting more local authorities in meeting their climate targets while making low-emission travel more accessible to everyone.
Read more about the report and our case study on the Innovate UK Business Connect website.
