London Ambulance Service (LAS) has added 77 zero-emission vehicles to its frontline operations as it works towards creating a carbon-neutral fleet.

The new vehicles comprise 37 electric ambulances and 40 fast-response cars. Their arrival takes the service’s fully electric fleet to 41 ambulances, 81 fast-response cars and three motorcycles—the largest fleet of its kind in the UK.

According to LAS, its electric ambulances can complete a 12-hour shift on one charge. The vehicles are also cheaper to operate and require less maintenance, reducing the time they spend off the road by 75%.

Jason Killens KAM, chief executive of LAS, said the expansion represented an important step towards improving healthcare while reducing the organisation’s environmental impact.

“Expanding our electric fleet is a win for patients, and a win for London and the environment,” he said.

“These vehicles produce zero emissions and help to tackle air pollution that can worsen serious health conditions. They’re also more efficient to maintain, meaning more ambulances are available to respond when people need us most.
 

Around 300 vehicles—approximately a quarter of the service’s 1,200-strong fleet—can now operate using electric power. That figure includes fully electric and hybrid models.

The new vehicles will enter service throughout the summer as additional charging infrastructure is installed at ambulance sites across the capital.

Last year, 288 chargers were installed at 18 London ambulance stations, leaving 27% of the service’s sites fully equipped for electric-vehicle charging. Charging points are expected to be installed at every site by 2028.

The investment forms part of the organisation’s four-year Green Plan, under which diesel and other higher-emission vehicles will be replaced as they reach the end of their operational lives.

LAS said it had reduced its carbon emissions by 12% since 2022 and is targeting a further 20% reduction by 2029.