Nissan and Uber sign deal for up to 2,000 electric Leafs

A deal to support the introduction of 2,000 pure electric Nissan Leafs has been signed by the manufacturer and Uber.

The fleet of 40kWh pure electric 2,000 Nissan Leafs will be offered to drivers as part of Uber’s Clean Air Plan.

Nissan will provide Uber with a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) education programme, transaction price and marketing plan to drive uptake of the zero emission vehicles.

The deal aims to help to deliver Uber’s vision for every car on the app in the capital – around 45,000 drivers – to be fully electric from 2025.

The Nissan Leafs, which can travel up to 168 miles on a single charge, will be manufactured in Sunderland.

Launched in January 2019, Uber’s Clean Air Plan aims to tackle air pollution by helping drivers upgrade to an electric vehicle through the introduction of a Clean Air Fee - 15p a mile is added on to all London journeys which will help drivers with the cost of adopting an EV.

In the first year, Uber has raised more than £80 million to support drivers transitioning to electric vehicles, with more than £200m expected to be raised over the next few years.

Through the Clean Air Plan, drivers will on average save £4,500, depending on the miles they’ve driven, off the cost of switching to an electric car.

Once a driver has adopted a fully electric vehicle, the Clean Air Fee is used to support ongoing vehicle costs. 

In the first year of Uber’s Clean Air Plan, 900,000 Uber journeys have taken place in electric vehicles, an increase of more than 350 per cent on the previous year. More than 500 drivers every week are now using zero emission EVs.

Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Nissan Motor (GB), said: “Through innovation and collaboration, companies like Nissan and Uber can tackle the challenges of advancing personal urban mobility, whilst also improving air quality in our major cities.

“As the UK’s best-selling EV, the Nissan Leaf is the perfect vehicle to support Uber’s ambition of a 100% electric fleet in London for 2025.

“Not only will passengers enjoy the quieter ride that comes from all-electric driving, but cyclists, pedestrians and other road users will also benefit from the zero-emissions powertrain.”

Jamie Heywood, regional general manager for northern and eastern Europe at Uber, added: “Our bold vision for London is for every driver on the Uber app to use an all-electric vehicle by 2025. The partnership with Nissan is a hugely significant step towards meeting this goal.

“The Mayor of London has shown strong leadership on measures relating to air quality and we’re proud to support him in delivering his vision.”

However, the operator is currently appealing a decision by Transport for London (TfL) to refuse to renew its operating licence in the capital over safety concerns.

The ride-hailing app firm’s regional general manager for northern and eastern Europe, Jamie Heywood, told the Metro that safety is its “top priority” after filing the appeal at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in December.

“We are committed to Londoners and are working closely with TfL to address their concerns and requests, as we have since 2017,” he added.

TfL rejected Uber’s application for a new London licence in November, due to “several breaches that placed passengers and their safety at risk”.