Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has laid out ambitious plans to boost electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the capital.
The mayor’s London EV Infrastructure Delivery Plan includes provision for multi-vehicle charging hubs and the deployment of smart technology to optimise London’s energy grid for increased EV charging demand, among other measures. It follows the introduction in April this year of the world’s first ultra-low emission zone in London; as well as the establishment by Khan of a comprehensive EV infrastructure taskforce, bringing together representatives of more than 140 bodies in the public and private sector to deliver increased electric vehicle charging facilities across the city.
Measures detailed in the London EV Infrastructure Delivery Plan include:
- Implementing connected smart tools to maintain the integrity of the energy grid;
- Concentrated efforts to unlock private energy investment;
- Installation of ‘next generation’ rapid EV charging points at petrol stations across London by the end of 2019;
- Establishing a contact point for local residents to request new EV charging facilities from their borough authorities;
- Establishing five charging hubs capable of charging multiple vehicles – the first of these hubs is already in development and is set to be operational by December; and
- Expanding London’s electric car fleet by bringing more electric vehicles to market and promoting electric car clubs.
Khan said: “London’s air is so dirty and polluted that it amounts to nothing less than a serious public health crisis. It breaches legal limits and blights the lives of Londoners, resulting in thousands of premature deaths every year. We are also facing a climate emergency that threatens the long-term security and wellbeing of every Londoner. We need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace an electric revolution in London’s transport. To truly transform the quality of our air and to tackle the climate crisis London must move away from petrol and diesel cars, with their catastrophic impact on the environment; and towards zero emission vehicles.”
