The first of the 50kW charging stations, intended for use by high-mileage vehicles such as taxis, will be installed in the City of London by the end of 2019.
The plan also includes the installation of ultrafast (100kW+) charging points in petrol stations, along with the creation of a new online heat map identifying constraints on the local electricity network and a “one-stop-shop” for residents to request new infrastructure from their local authority.
“We need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace an electric revolution in London’s transport,” said Khan. “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.”
He continued: “I want London to lead the world in this ambition, with all new cars and vans on London roads to meet these standards by 2030, not 2040 as the government is proposing.
“To make this vision a reality we must make sure all Londoners have access to the essential infrastructure required to run and maintain an electric vehicle. This is a massive operation and can only be achieved if the public and private sector come together to deliver London’s electric future.”
ChargePoint will provide the hardware and software for at least one of the five rapid EV charging hubs. The company’s vice president for global fleet solutions Mark Kerstens said: “We welcome the launch of the Electric Vehicle Taskforce Deliver Plan today and applaud the mayor for taking the bold measures required to tackle London’s air pollution while enabling the expansion of EV charging throughout London.
“Public-private partnerships like this are vital to ensuring the buildout of the new fueling network that will support the adoption of more electric vehicles in London and around the UK. When these measures are implemented in full, London will become a model for clean mobility and one of the most EV-friendly cities in the world.”
UK Power Networks chief executive Basil Scarsella added: “By enabling at least five state of the art flagship rapid charging hubs in the next couple of years, UK Power Networks in partnership with Transport for London will be delivering reliable, fast and available charging infrastructure for Londoners.
“Our map will help infrastructure investors and local authorities find the most cost-efficient locations to connect charge points to the electricity network.
“Through this collaborative cross-industry initiative, London is leading the way in establishing the infrastructure we need to enable the low carbon transport revolution. With the vast majority of electric vehicle charging happening on the distribution network we have a duty to go above and beyond so we are proud to be supporting the Mayor of London’s vision.”
The number of EVs on London’s road is expected to rise from around 20,000 currently to 330,000 by 2025.
The city is home to 2,400 public chargers – around a quarter of the UK total – spread across 1,200 locations. They include 1,100 residential chargers fitted in lamp posts by borough councils. Transport for London has also installed more than 175 rapid chargers and is working to increase the number to 300 by the end of this year.
Tom Grimwood
This article appeared first on edie’s sister title, Utility Week