Heathrow and Jaguar to create UK’s largest chauffeur-driven electric vehicle fleet
Jaguar Land Rover is to roll out 200 of its all electric I-Pace SUVs for Heathrow passengers to use to and from the airport from this summer, creating the largest chauffeur-driven fleet of electric vehicles in the UK .
The pair have teamed up with travel services company WeKnowGroup to offer chauffeur services from central London, including key tourist sites, to the airport. The service will start with 50 I-PACEs with the option to add a further 150 cars over the following 12 months.
The 200-strong fleet will support up to 1,000 electric vehicle journeys to and from Heathrow each day, saving more than eight tonnes of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions each year. WeKnowGroup will install a dedicated charging hub at Heathrow, which will be the largest in the UK.
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The introduction of the electric fleet should help Heathrow further its case for airport expansion. A key objection among sceptics has been that the airport has not been doing enough to combat pollution while drawing up its plans for a third runway, which was one of many concerns aired by MPs in a recent Transport Select Committee report.
The initiative also coincides with new research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) released today, which predicts that by 2030 up to 58 per cent of vehicles on London’s roads will be electric.
Factors driving the trend include the introduction of the T-charge for more polluting vehicles; the ultra-low emission zone; falling purchasing costs for electric vehicles and the drop in demand for diesel cars.
Parallel consumer research shows that by 2028, 63 per cent of Londoners will feel comfortable making the switch to an electric vehicle.
Executive director at Heathrow, Emma Gilthorpe said: “We are thrilled to be working with two British companies on this landmark initiative to support more sustainable transportation choices for our passengers.
“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 MD, added: “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.”
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