Car hailing service, Uber, has deployed a fleet of Nissan LEAFs as part of an ongoing commitment to tackling air pollution in London and across the UK.

The LEAF is the first electric vehicle available on Uber’s London fleet.

Run in partnership with the Energy Savings Trust (EST), the study marks the first electric vehicles available through the Uber app in London, and will examine the feasibility of running large numbers of electric private hire vehicles in the UK.

Already 60% of Uber journeys in London are made in hybrid vehicles, but the company is keen to explore the environmental and economic benefits of going fully electric ahead of the introduction of the capital’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone in 2020.

The EST will research the experience, driving patterns and economics of private hire drivers using electric cars and the capacity of London’s current network of charging points to support these vehicles.

Jo Bertram, regional general manager of Uber UK, said: “Our car-sharing service has already saved 1.2 million miles and 211 metric tonnes of CO2. With electric vehicles – and more people sharing their journey and leaving their own cars at home – there’s even more we can do.”

Gareth Dunsmore, head of electric vehicles, Nissan Europe, commented: “With the impact of poor air quality remaining a cause for concern, the trial could prove to be a pivotal moment for tackling the challenges in London.”