Addison Lee plans £160m switch to fully electric fleet

Addison Lee will invest £160 million to fully electrify its 4,000-strong private hire fleet in London by 2023, beginning with an initial order for 450 Volkswagen ID4s.  

The rollout of the new, fully electric vehicles (EVs) will begin in November, with an expected 200 EVs joining the fleet every month.

Addison Lee’s CEO, Liam Griffin, said: ‘‘As the transport provider of choice for many businesses and passengers, we know that we play a critical role in London’s transport network.

“Over the years, we have invested in our vehicles and technology to ensure we do all we can to make London a greener place. We are now going even further, by partnering with Volkswagen to invest in a rapid transition to electric.

“In doing so, we can help more businesses reduce their carbon footprint and give passengers greater access to green, safe and premium transport options as life gets back to normal.’’

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, said: “As we continue working tirelessly to decarbonise our transport network, I am thrilled to see Addison Lee lead the way through pledging to electrify their fleet by 2023.

“This Government has committed to reach net zero by 2050. With more than 500,000 electric vehicles now on our roads and nearly 25,000 public charge points, we’re at the beginning of an electric vehicle revolution which will help create communities free from pollution as well as supporting thousands of jobs in the supply chain over the coming decades.”

To help it make the switch to a fully electric fleet, Addison Lee has invested £3.5m into a Future of Mobility Fund, which will support drivers with charging infrastructure.

It says it wants to play an active role in bolstering the charging infrastructure for EVs and supporting drivers with access to charge points, which are both critical to the success of a full fleet transition to electric.

Griffin explained: ‘’We know that there is strong appetite from passengers, businesses and drivers for electrification, but there is still more to do to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to overcome the unique challenges around transitioning fleets.

“We are leading the industry in making electric vehicles viable for large fleet operations and have found innovative ways to support drivers with their charging needs.

“We look forward to working with both national and London policymakers to develop the support available for fleets as they switch to electric and sharing our data to improve the capability and capacity of London’s rapid charging network.’’

Volkswagen UK’s head of fleet Nick O’Neill says the manufacturer has a strong and positive relationship with Addison Lee. “Over 1,000 vehicles have been provided in recent years and we understand the high demands the company places upon all the cars in its fleet,” he said.

“That Addison Lee has chosen the ID4 as its initial route to large scale electrification is a huge vote of confidence in this exceptional new car, the support available via Volkswagen UK, and the quality of our brand.” 

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