Car sharing firm Zipcar is to introduce more than 300 electric cars in London this year.
All the new cars will be Volkswagen e-Golfs, of which the first 100 will be made available this summer, with the number increasing to 325 by the end of 2018.
The e-Golfs will be available as part of the Zipcar Flex scheme, which allows one-way journeys, and Zipcar members will be able to access them via the existing Zipcar app.
The company says the move will create what is expected be the largest fleet of publicly shared electric cars in the country.
It says that by making electric driving more widely accessible for Londoners, it hopes to help break down the current barriers to greater adoption.
Zipcar UK general manager Jonathan Hampson 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.”
Volkswagen UK managing director Alison Jones 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.”
