ADDISON LEE GROUP INVESTS IN 1,200 NEW VOLKSWAGEN VEHICLES TO CREATE A ULEZ-COMPLIANT FLEET FOR LONDON

Investment in over £41 million worth of Volkswagen Sharans is the first step on road towards zero-emissions capable fleet

25 January 2019, London: Addison Lee Group, the global ground transportation business, is demonstrating its commitment to cleaning up London’s air with an investment in 1,200 Volkswagen Sharans, creating a fleet that is compliant with Transport for London’s (TfL) new Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which will come into force on 8 April 2019.

The move into the latest generation of Volkswagen Sharan models – an investment worth £41 million – is the start of a journey towards a zero-emissions capable fleet by 2022, as the Group assesses technology choices across other parts of its fleet – including electrification – with pilots expected during this year.

The Sharan – which will sit alongside the Ford Galaxy and the Mercedes E and S class as part of the Addison Lee Group fleet – will be introduced over the next three months, and will be used for the company’s Select service, which has traditionally been fulfilled by the Galaxy.

Lisa Burger, Addison Lee Group’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “We share Transport for London’s ambition to clean up London’s air, and this multi-million investment in new vehicles will make our entire fleet compliant with TfL’s low emission standards and start the process of moving towards a zero-emissions capable fleet.”

The Sharan’s diesel engine is Euro-6 standard, designed to reduce Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions by 50%¹. Addison Lee Group wants to trial ultra-low emission vehicles from the end of this year, which plan to have an entirely zero-emissions capable fleet by the end of 2022. The company will consider both plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV) from a range of manufacturers.

Burger added: “We are keen to move quickly to an electric fleet for the benefit of London’s environment, but are limited by London’s charging network, which as the report by Dr. Rebecca Driver demonstrated², cannot support a shift to electric by the capital’s private hire and taxi industry.”

Michael O’Shea, Head of Fleet at Volkswagen UK, said: “We are very pleased to be working with such a prominent name as Addison Lee. Now, even more people will be able to experience the quality, comfort and technology of our vehicles.

“The Sharan is our large, seven-seat MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle). With its latest generation of Euro-6-compliant engines and convenient electric rear sliding doors, it is particularly suited to catering for passengers in the London area.”

Addison Lee Group currently operates start/stop technology on all vehicles within its fleet, resulting in zero tailpipe emissions when stopped at junctions or in traffic. The entire fleet is tracked and has full vehicle telematics, which enable Addison Lee Group to monitor the driver, the vehicle and the journey. This in turn provides benefits to the customer in terms of safety and security along with environmental benefits of optimal journey planning, reduced mileage, fuel and emissions.