Car-sharing network Zipcar has launched its fleet of 325 Volkswagen e-Golf electric cars in London - and called for more action to improve the capital's air quality.

The company is calling for city authorities, charging companies and other mobility companies to work together to help improve the air quality and congestion of the city. Zipcar has unveiled its vision that 800,000 Londoners, the equivalent to 15% of all the capital’s licence holders, will actively use 9,000 zero emissions, shared cars in London by 2025.

Zipcar UK’s general manager Jonathan Hampson said: “We’re in the process of introducing the first of our fully electric cars to London and it’s a proud and exciting time for us, but the reality is it’s not enough.

"If we are to make electric car sharing the norm and tackle London’s pollution and congestion problem head on, we need to see city authorities, infrastructure companies and car manufacturers, all raise their game in this space.

"We can’t bring about the change needed on our own, this needs to be a collaborative effort."

He added: “The lack of progress with EV over the past five years acts as a sobering reality check as to how difficult electrification really is.

"London desperately needs a catalyst that could lead to greater adoption of the technology, and we believe that car sharing is that catalyst.

"It has the power to push EV driving into the mainstream once and for all, and to kickstart a whole new relationship for Londoners with the car and reduce its dominancy.”

Zipcar believes that growing electric vehicle (EV) car-sharing is crucial for London to:

• Help improve access to the still highly priced EV technology
• Encourage investment in charging points in London by helping boost usage and demand
• Help address the capital’s poor air quality and congestion crisis

The e-Golfs are available as part of the one-way Zipcar Flex service:

• Priced from 31p per minute and capped at £14 per hour
• Charged using London’s existing network of rapid chargers by Zipcar, until a wider charging network is available
• Available to all Zipcar members via the current Zipcar app
• Operating throughout the Zipcar Zipzone - 10 London boroughs to date including Westminster.