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PICTURES: Inverness youth mentoring charity Day1 ditches petrol and goes all electric with new fleet of Italian indoor racing karts with net-zero and carbon neutral aspirations





Jay Brown, Corrin Henderson, Ewan Dirie, Gavin Smith and Jaime McCall (seated). Picture: Callum Mackay.
Jay Brown, Corrin Henderson, Ewan Dirie, Gavin Smith and Jaime McCall (seated). Picture: Callum Mackay.

An Inverness charity that uses high octane motorsport as inspiration for its life-changing work has scrapped use of petrol racing karts for a clean, green all-electric fleet.

Award-winning Day1, based at Fairways Business Park, has a proven track record in transforming young people’s lives through mentoring and vehicle mechanics training.

Local schools have testified to the effectiveness of the 19-year-old charity, at Inverness Kart Raceway, in steering disengaged, vulnerable young people towards better life and career choices.

While it is all about creating sustainable futures for those on the cusp of adulthood, Day1’s CEO Corrin Henderson had grown unsure of the longer-term sustainability - and desirability - of the fume-filled Inverness Kart Raceway environment.

This summer, with grant funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), the social enterprise was able to greatly reduce its carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency.

With the new technology in place, it has even enjoyed completely carbon neutral spells of operation at least when the Highland sun shines!

Phase one of the vision, completed a couple of years ago, was to install a huge 50kW swathe of over 100 solar panels on the building’s roof.

Day1 and Inverness Kart Raceway are seeing energy bills plummet after a switch to all-electric operations assisted by rooftop solar panels.
Day1 and Inverness Kart Raceway are seeing energy bills plummet after a switch to all-electric operations assisted by rooftop solar panels.

Now, with a £300,000 investment in 23 slick, responsive and super-cool new Italian racing karts, the exhaust fumes are gone, net-zero targets are on track and electricity bills are falling.

Some 80 per cent of the funds came from HIE’s green grant fund and SSE’s communities fund, with Day1 picking up the rest of the cost.

“The new go-karts are Italian-manufactured and imported. I’m obviously biased, but I just think they are absolutely stupendous!” Mr Henderson said.

Picture: Callum Mackay.
Picture: Callum Mackay.

“They look amazing with the red, white and green Italian flag colours and, with the headrests and seat belts, there is greater protection than with our old karts.

“We are a youth charity that helps support vulnerable young people and help them make sensible choices about their future, seeking sustainable employment.

“But we also want to leave behind a world that, for those young people, is sustainable.

Picture: Callum Mackay.
Picture: Callum Mackay.
Two seater. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Two seater. Picture: Callum Mackay.

“It felt like the very responsible thing to do and we decided to take the plunge and go with all electric go-karts.”

Now operating in a far more pleasant and breathable indoor environment, the net saving on fuel is £20,000 a year, while expensive fans that used to be run electrically to filter the air are no longer needed.

With newer karts bringing a reduction in repairs, breakdown and spare parts costs, Day1 is expecting to make significant long-term savings.

Mr Henderson is thrilled to be at the leading edge of a change that is likely to be embraced by karting businesses all over the UK in coming years.

“They’re different - I won’t deny that - but we think they’re better.,” he said. “They are heavier because they have batteries, but compared to our 10 year-old old fleet there’s all sorts of wonderful technology that comes from motorcars.

Charging units. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Charging units. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Racing gear. Picture: Callum Mackay.
Racing gear. Picture: Callum Mackay.

“The technology allows us to better control speed, say for a younger child and they are terrifically helpful for us as operators, for safety and for the race experience.

“With indoor go-karting, traditionally you’re burning petrol. I don’t want to say that our previous iteration of go-karting was anything other than great fun, but there were a lot of people who weren’t that keen on the fumes. That’s gone.

“People are commenting on that fact and liking it.

Picture: Callum Mackay.
Picture: Callum Mackay.

“It feels like the writing is on the wall for burning fossil fuels indoors and, with increasingly stringent rules and regulations, it is probably only a matter of time before all go-kart tracks must go electric.

“With the size of the batteries we have in the cars, and with the number of panels on the roof, then on a sunny day we can pretty much charge our entire fleet of cars continually for free.”

James Turner, head of strengthening communities at Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), said: “We awarded Day1 a grant of £150,000 through our green grant fund to invest in electric karts and charging equipment.

“The project has created new jobs and is continuing to help young people to become self-sufficient with work and life-direction through training and mentoring, while supporting them to become more confident in using electric vehicle technology.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to support this project and look forward to continuing to work with the team at Day1.”

Tom Black, senior community investment manager at SSE Renewables, said: “SSE Renewables is proud to be supporting Day1 and Inverness Kart Raceway through an award of over £107,000.

"Day1 has a proven track record in helping young people develop their employment-related and wider life skills and secure meaningful work.

"The grant award fits well with our Sustainable Development Fund priorities of increasing opportunities for skills and employment, building resilience in the most vulnerable in our communities, and contributing to the journey to net zero.

"Without the renewable power that SSE Renewables is generating in the Highlands, this grant support wouldn’t have been possible."


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