Heathrow signs EV fleet agreement with Jaguar

Heathrow, Jaguar and travel services company WeKnowGroup have signed a deal that will see a fleet of up to 200 fully-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles available to passengers for travel to and from the airport.

The service, to roll-out in summer 2018, offers passengers travelling into and out of Heathrow the option to be chauffeured in one of the fully electric vehicles. Initially the fleet will be made up of 50 I-PACEs available from summer 2018 with the option to add a further 150 cars in the next 12 months.

Up to 200 Jaguar IPACE cars will be available as part of the agreement

WeKnowGroup -  the company which operates the arrival desks across the airport — will be installing a dedicated charging hub at Heathrow, which it is claimed will be the largest in the UK.

Designed and engineered by Jaguar Land Rover in the UK, the fully-electric I-PACE carries a 90kWh Lithium-ion battery and is capable of a range of 298 miles, according to the car manufacturer.

The agreement forms part of Heathrow’s commitment to tackling air pollution on roads close to the airport, Heathrow Airports Ltd claims.

Transportation

Emma Gilthorpe, Executive Director at Heathrow, said: “We are thrilled to be working with two British companies on this landmark initiative to support more sustainable transportation choices for our passengers.

Chancellor Philip Hammond (right) inspects one of Heathrow’s new fleet of vehicles

“We will not compromise on our commitments to the environment and our local community and we remain focussed on addressing the impact road vehicles have on air quality on the roads around the airport. These I-PACEs are the latest in a long line of initiatives we are taking to ensure that we do not force a choice between the economy and the environment — and that we can deliver benefits for both.”

Jeremy Hicks, Jaguar Land Rover UK managing director, said: “What we have created in the Jaguar I-PACE is utterly revolutionary; a desirable, luxurious and state-of-the-art electric vehicle that’s practical for genuine everyday use, including the tough life of an airport luxury chauffeur car.”

“We have had huge interest and positivity from our customers worldwide. We’re also delighted that this endorsement extends to some of the biggest corporations on the planet. Through our partnership with Waymo (formerly Google self-driving car project) and this latest deal with Heathrow and WeKnowGroup, we’re excited to be bringing the electric future to more people than ever before.”