Scottish Tesla tour plugs into demand for green tourism

Nicolas Loisel set up E-City Chauffeur to offer tours in his electric Tesla car. Photograph: Patrice MestariNicolas Loisel set up E-City Chauffeur to offer tours in his electric Tesla car. Photograph: Patrice Mestari
Nicolas Loisel set up E-City Chauffeur to offer tours in his electric Tesla car. Photograph: Patrice Mestari
Eco-conscious travellers can now enjoy luxury driving tours around Scotland's most inaccessible scenic areas while cutting the size of the environmental footprint they leave behind.

The move is thanks to a new personal chauffeur service, where visitors are ferried wherever they want to go in a top-of-the-range electric saloon.

The man behind the wheel is Frenchman Nicolas Loisel, who has been working in the tourism industry in Scotland for the past five years.

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“I’m very passionate about the Scottish landscape. I love this country. I wanted to provide tours, provide transport, in a way that is not so detrimental to the landscape. I like the idea of taking people to some of the more remote and not so well-known places. I will also take visitors to the favourite spots such as Glencoe and Edinburgh city centre.”

Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.
Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.

People have been flocking to Scotland to enjoy some of the country’s most isolated and breathtaking places, with attractions such as the North Coast 500 driving route soaring in popularity.

The increase in tourism and the revenue it generates has been welcomed, but has also sparked concern over the impact on the environment.

Loisel says his firm E-City Chauffeur, based in Musselburgh, East Lothian, and his Tesla car can help ease that as more people turn away from fossil fuel transport in favour of low-carbon alternatives. “I see people are interested in electric cars, but some are not yet ready to jump into this new mode of transportation. More often than not I find myself having to debunk myths about electric cars: not enough range? Not so good for the environment? No chargers in Scotland? There are lots in Scotland, and in the worst-case scenario I can plug into the domestic power supply.”

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Loisel claims he doesn’t even particularly like cars, but was converted after trying out the Tesla S75.

Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.
Frenchman Nicolas Loisel says E-City Chauffeur can help ease fears about the impact of road tours on the enviroment.

VisitScotland’s industry sustainability manager, Janie Neumann, said: “Car touring is extremely popular in Scotland – especially since the launch of the North Coast 500 route – and with our ever expanding network of electric vehicle charge points, there is ample opportunity to see Scotland by car in an eco-friendly way.”