The Pembrokeshire zoo known as Folly Farm has upgraded its outdoor go karts to sustainable electric models. The upgrade is part of the zoo’s commitment to sustainable practices.

18 new electric karts are on offer at the family-friendly Follystone racetrack. The go karts have been build by Formula K, a family business based in Rhyl. Formula K is a leading manufacturer of go karts, which are supplied to amusement and leisure sites around the world.

The Welsh government’s Economic Resilience Fund Phase 3 (ERF3) funded the £160,000 investment on green go karts.

Folly Farm is first family attraction venue to Wales to launch all-electric go karts. Royston Badham, operations manager at Folly Farm, said: “Our go karts here at Folly Farm have always been our most popular attraction, aside from the animals of course.

“Replacing our petrol go karts with electric ones was an easy decision. The cars run on batteries which are charged using solar power. Solar panels on our fairground rooves already power many of the attractions on site as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability.

“The new greener go karts will reduce our carbon emissions as we are no longer using petrol and what’s more, they’re much quieter than the old models which is an added bonus.

“We were pleased to work hand in hand with another Welsh business, Formula K, who have made the upgrade a smooth and easy process for us, delivering our order during challenging times. We’re excited to offer our visitors the chance to race in the new cars this summer.”

The Pembrokeshire zoo has held the Green Key Award since 2016, which is the globally recognised standard for environmental responsibility across the tourism industry.

In 2017, the zoo invested in biomass heating, a move which saves the site 700 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.