Nissan does deal for 2,000 Nissan LEAF EVs for London Uber drivers

Nissan is supplying 2,000 LEAF EVs for Uber drivers in London at special rates to help drive the uptake of EVs by Uber drivers in the capital.

Uber isn’t having the best of times at the moment as it fights to keep the right to operate in London, but it’s pushing ahead with its EV push in the capital nevertheless.

Having introduced a Clean Air fee of 15p a mile a year ago in London to help drivers with the cost of adopting an electric car – which has raised £80 million so far – it’s now struck a deal with Nissan to supply 2,000 LEAF EVs to encourage users of the Uber App to move in to an EV.

The fleet of 40kWh Nissan Leafs, which will do up to 168 miles on a single charge – more than enough for a day’s work – will come with a dedicated EV education programme, transaction price and marketing plan  to drive uptake by Uber’s 45,000 London drivers which, through Uber’s Clean Air Plan, will see drivers saving around £4,500 (depending on mileage) off the cost of switching to an EV.

Andrew Humberstone, Nissan GB MD, 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.

Of course, the fact there are now just four petrol stations left inside the congestion zone may also be an encouragement in itself, as will the 1,000 new EV charging points TfL has installed in the last year in London.