Uber to roll out electric vehicles across London
News
1 Sep 2016
Uber has announced plans to have 50 electric vehicles (EVs) in its fleet for use around London by the end of September 2016.
The move comes as part of Uber’s commitment to use the latest technology to help tackle the issue of air pollution, with 60 per cent of Uber journey miles already being completed in hybrid cars.
The EVs are being provided through a partnership with car manufacturers BYD and Nissan. The first EVs hit London roads on 31 August and more EVs will be rolled out throughout the month of September.
The Energy Saving Trust will then conduct a three month study which will examine the feasibility of running EVs within the car sharing fleet and the overall impact on customer experience.
Jo Bertram, regional general manager of Uber in the UK, said: "People already associate Uber with hybrid cars, but we now want to go a big step further with fully electric cars on the road from today.
"We are determined to use technology to help tackle the challenge of air pollution in London and across the UK.
Our car-sharing service has already saved more than 1.3 million miles and 231 metric tonnes of CO2. With electric vehicles - and more people sharing their journey and leaving their own cars at home - there's even more we can do."
Gareth Dunsmore, head of electric vehicles, Nissan Europe, which is providing 20 EVs for the trial, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with Uber on what is a very exciting project that could ultimately lead to major improvements in air quality in London and across the UK.
“We are confident this trial will prove a success and that Uber will join scores of taxi and private hire operators across the UK and wider Europe in recognising the financial and environmental benefits of Nissan’s market-leading electric vehicles.
“With the impact of poor air quality remaining a cause for concern, the trial could prove to be a pivotal moment for tackling the challenges in London.”
