This is seen as a key step in Heathrow’s promise to make all of its cars and small vans electric or plug-in hybrid by 2020; this is to help improve air quality around the airport.
The 50 electric vehicles are calculated to reduce the airport’s fleet emissions by 165 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent amount of energy used by 18 homes annually. Since pledging to go electric, Heathrow has spent over £4m in charging infrastructure; moreover, it has a total in excess of £5m committed to be spent by the end of 2018. Heathrow is also actively working in collaboration with TfL to install seven rapid charging points for black cabs before the end of 2017.
(These rapid charging points, some of the first in London, will support the Mayor’s requirements for all newly licensed black cabs to be either electric or plug in hybrid by January 1, 2018).
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow's Chief Executive, commented: “Our sustainability strategy, Heathrow 2.0, and global commitments, like EV100, tie Heathrow to some ambitious but realistic targets to clean up our fleet and speed up the take-up of electric technology across our airport.
“Since our pledge to switch to electric cars and vans in 2015 we have made tremendous progress towards improving air quality in our city, but we are committed to going further yet.”
