Private hire giant Addison Lee has introduced five Audi e-tron models to its London fleet in line with its plans to shift to 100% low-emissions vehicles.

The six-month e-tron pilot will evaluate how electric vehicles can be used within the Addison Lee fleet

The six-month pilot will see the fully electric SUVs used to transport passengers through its dedicated corporate chauffeur service in and around London.

The vehicles, all finished with black metallic paint, are intended to provide a high-end EV experience through comfort-focused features including four-zone electronic climate control, privacy glass, acoustic glazing and soft-closing doors as well as standard adaptive air suspension.

The new fleet of e-trons will also enable Addison Lee Group to evaluate the role that EVs will play in its future vehicle choices as it looks to move to a 100% low emission fleet. The firm said earlier this year that it’s planning to shift towards a zero-emissions capable fleet by 2022. Revealed at the start of 2019, as it invested £41m in a new fleet of Volkswagen Sharans, the plans include deploying ultra-low emission vehicles from the end of this year, and the firm has also said it’s assessing technology choices across other areas of the fleet and considering both plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery electric vehicles from a range of manufacturers.

Andy Boland, CEO of Addison Lee Group, said: “Our partnership with Audi combines two premium brands in making a significant step towards next-generation, sustainable mobility solutions, and continues to position Addison Lee Group at the forefront of innovation in ground transportation services.

“This pilot demonstrates the power of combining two large-scale, established and premium brands to make a significant and positive impact on cities and air quality, over and above individual initiatives at a local level. Following our achievement of ULEZ compliance for the whole Addison Lee Group fleet, this is the next major step on the road to achieving a 100% low emissions fleet.”