London investing millions to double number of EV charging points

The number of electric car charging points in London is set to double in 2018 after almost £4.5 million of investment was announced.

Designed to help smooth residents’ transition to zero-emission vehicles, 25 London boroughs will receive up to £300,000 each to install up to 1,500 charging points in total. They will be standard-speed on-street devices in residential areas, opening up charging to those who don’t have off-street parking.

The £4.48 million fund comes as part of a government initiative to help areas increase electric vehicle usage. Teams will scour the capital for the most appropriate locations – in many cases, street lamps are expected to be used as a base for the charging point as it is “cheaper, quicker and easier to install with less impact on the streetscape”.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan, said: “This substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city.

“We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero-emission by 2050, and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality.”

Electric vehicles currently have a small market share, but official figures show that number is increasing rapidly. In July, nearly 73,000 alternatively fuelled vehicles were registered in the UK – up 65 per cent on 2016.

The government has called for all fully petrol and diesel vehicles to be banned by 2040, while Khan is targeting all new road vehicles driven in London to have zero emissions in the same time frame.