Zipcar to roll-out 300 EVs across London

Car-sharing network operator Zipcar is to introduce over 300 Volkswagen e-Golf electric cars to its fleet in London from July 2018.

The roll-out will create what has been described by Zipcar as the largest publicly available shared fleet of electric and zero emission cars in the country.

The new fully electric Zipcar E-Golf is due to launch this summer. Picture: Amit Lennon

By making electric driving more widely accessible and available to Londoners, Zipcar hopes the introduction of more than 300 shared EVs will help break down current barriers to greater EV adoption and take electric driving “from niche to mainstream” in the capital.

Car sharing networks such as Zipcar see members pay an annual or monthly fee which allows them to hire a car on a short term basis, often for as little as one hour, which can be picked up from designated parking spots.

As well as London, the service also operates in Bristol, Oxford, Cambridge and Maidstone.

Car sharing

Jonathan Hampson, general manager for Zipcar UK, said: “With over 200,000 Zipcar members now in London, we are already seeing Londoners embracing car sharing rather than car owning in growing numbers. If we are to achieve healthier, cleaner streets, as set out in the Mayor of London’s latest Transport Strategy, this change away from car ownership and towards car access is essential.

“In encouraging this change we have always wanted to use the cleanest possible vehicles, which is why we’re incredibly proud and excited to team up with Volkswagen for this zero emissions initiative. It marks another step towards our vision for a greener London where car sharers outnumber car owners, making our amazing city an even better place to live for all.”

Alison Jones, managing director of Volkswagen UK, said: “This is an exciting step for Volkswagen. Thousands of Zipcar members will experience electric driving, perhaps for the first time, and we know they will love the functionality and ease of use that the all-electric e-Golf provides.

“Inner-city residents are looking for alternatives to car ownership and this development of the relationship between Volkswagen and Zipcar offers the best of both worlds: on-demand driving and zero emission motoring across the UK’s capital.”

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