Zipcar, a car-sharing service owned by rental firm Avis, will introduce over 300 VW e-Golfs to London in July.
Zipcar said it was expected to be the largest number of publicly-available shared electric cars in the country. The first 100 e-Golfs will be available from this summer, increasing to 325 by the end of 2018.
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They will be available as part of the by-the-minute Zipcar Flex service, which allows members to ‘drive and drop’ one-way around the capital.
Zipcar members will be able to access the electric vehicles via the current Zipcar app
Avis and VW said it hoped that the move would help break down current barriers to greater EV adoption and take electric driving from niche to mainstream in London.
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 ownership 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.
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By GlobalData“In encouraging this change we have always wanted to use the cleanest possible vehicle, 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.”
