WeFlex and Toyota in £7m deal to boost London’s EV ride-hailing fleet

Toyota has partnered with electric vehicle provider WeFlex to add more than 150 new zero-emission vehicles to London’s ride-hailing market.

The £7 million deal will see 165 Toyota bZ4Xs made available to ride-hailing drivers in the capital.

WeFlex now has a fleet of more than 2,300 100% electric vehicles, operated by drivers for Uber, Bolt, Veezu and Freenow and offers the largest range of electric vehicles in the industry. Its EVs have driven over 90 million zero emission miles, preventing over 15,000 tonnes of CO2 entering the atmosphere to date.

According to Weflex, demand for electric vehicles in the ride-hailing market vastly exceeds the current supply. Local government regulations and requirements from ride-hailing firms mean drivers are having to rapidly switch to low-emissions vehicles.

Uber’s stated goal of achieving a fully electric fleet in London of 55,000 drivers by the end of 2025, for instance, is reliant solely on there being sufficient vehicle stock for its drivers to purchase.

Nicko Williamson, founder and CEO of WeFlex said: “WeFlex have worked with Toyota since we launched in 2016. Toyota is a long-standing innovator in the hybrid and electric vehicle space – Prius made today’s market possible.

“We are excited to see such a positive reception already from our customers for the bZ4X, which is a great vehicle.

“To significantly reduce vehicle-based carbon emissions, Britain needs more electric vehicles – and the ride-hailing industry is a huge part of that, with WeFlex electric vehicles covering 90 million miles already and counting. We remain on a mission to ensure that drivers have access to the biggest range of affordable EVs.”

Neil Broad, general manager for One Toyota Fleet Services, said: “WeFlex’s commitment to bZ4X is a valuable seal of approval for the vehicle’s quality and capabilities. Providing smooth and refined performance, spacious accommodation and the well-proven reliability and durability of our electrified vehicle technologies, it is sure to become a popular choice for WeFlex’s customers.”