News Corp plugs electric vehicles for staff, rooftop solar

Rupert Murdoch’s Australian mastheads are not exactly known as champions of green energy or climate policies, but a new deal between News Corp Australia and car maker Mitsubishi could see them lead the charge for green driving.

According to an email from News Corps “Environmental Sustainability Initiative”, Mitsubishi is offering News full time permanent staff a heavily discounted 12 month lease on its hybrid electric Outlander, the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV.

The deal works through salary sacrifice, an amount ranging from $660-$720 per month over the course of a 12 month lease, with service costs, registration, insurance included.

“With a combined fuel economy of just 1.9L/100km and a range of up to 50km from its electric battery, the Outlander PHEV is kind to both the environment and your pocket,” the emailed offer says.

According to the Mitsubishi website, the Outlander can drive up to 50km a day in EV mode when fully charged, but most drivers will only need to charge every few days, which they can do at home by plugging into a 15 amp power point.

In a separate deal, Origin is offering News staffers a free solar assessment of their home, and a discounted solar system; or the option to take up Origin’s ‘solar as a service’ leasing offer, where Origin installs and owns the PV panels, and the house owner gets discounts on their energy bill.

News says it will be formally launching both partnerships on September 7 in Sydney, and hosting special Outlander PHEV test drive events across Australia later in the month.