The UK’s first all-electric carbon-zero corporate taxi service hits UK roads this autumn. Starting in London, Thriev plans to put 1,000 cars on the road by the end of 2014, bringing low-cost, low-carbon transport to UK businesses.

The fleet will be charged by the British Gas network of charging points.

The new service will be the first of its kind: an extensive network of rapid units capable of charging a car from 20% to 80% in 20 minutes. The entire charging network across the UK, one of the largest of its kind, will see each unit of electricity matched with a unit of 100% British renewable electricity, making Thriev the UK’s only carbon-zero car service.

The move comes as the Government continues to invest in electric vehicles in the UK, with the aim of having 1.2m electric vehicles on the road by 2020. Recent figures show registrations of pure electric and hybrid cars up 70% in 2013 on a year previously.

Ian Mihajlovic, co-founder at Thriev said: “Business fleets up and down the country are suffering from cost and carbon inefficiencies. Thriev will deliver zero emission services in the urban centres at low cost by deploying state of the art technologies as well an innovative commercial model. This will mean our service will be cheaper and more convenient than owning a car in places like London both for businesses, but also private use.”

“British Gas has been at the forefront of creating the UK’s charging infrastructure, and this made it the ideal partner in developing the high-speed charging network which would help us tip the balance on electric vehicles and green our cities for good.”

Andreas Atkins, head of electric vehicle services at British Gas, said: “Innovations like Thriev make it possible for businesses to have the best of both worlds, making major reductions in their carbon footprint and saving money at the same time.

“We’re aiming to convert 10% of our fleet to electric vehicles by 2015, and we’re glad to be helping other businesses to do the same.”

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