The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set out his plan for a major expansion of London’s electric-vehicle charging network, to ensure that the capital continues to be one of the world’s leading zero-emission cities. This follows his establishment of the world’s first Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce, bringing together representatives from business, energy, infrastructure, government and the London boroughs.

Mr Khan says London is at the forefront of the zero-emission revolution with more than 20,000 electric vehicles, 1,700 electric taxis and Europe’s largest fleet of electric buses.

“Today’s plan builds on TfL’s successful roll-out of over 175 rapid-charging points across the city (delivering a full charge in 20-30min) and a growing network of over 1,100 lamp-post charging points delivered by boroughs in
residential areas.

"This has been complemented by the roll-out of the world’s first-ever Ultra Low Emission Zone, enforcing tough new emission standards in central London and helping to drive companies to electrify their fleets.

“Currently, the roll out of the charging infrastructure is in line with the demand for electric vehicles, but London needs an electric revolution. This plan estimates the number of charging points required in the next five years — based on different scenarios for the growth of EVs — and looks at how this can be delivered with less public subsidy and without installing points that are under-used or outdated.”

Making it easier for Londoners to make the switch from diesel to electric cars is a key part of reducing toxic traffic emissions and realising the Mayor’s ambition of London becoming a zero-emission city.

The Taskforce and other industry partners will support the Mayor in driving forward a number of initiatives in the plan, including: installing the next generation of ultra-rapid charging points at London petrol stations later this year; delivering five ‘flagship’ charging hubs, with the ability for multiple cars to quickly be charged in one place; a new ‘one-stop shop’ for Londoners to request new charging infrastructure from their local authority in areas of high demand; expanding electric-car clubs and bringing more vehicles to market, offering greater choice to Londoners and businesses; and new online smart tools to ensure that London’s energy grid continues to keep pace with demand and to help unlock private-sector investment.

The plan outlines how London is on track to deliver the necessary infrastructure for a radical growth in electric vehicles, which estimates show could increase from around 20,000 today to over 330,000 by 2025. London currently has 25% of the UK’s electric-vehicle charging points — more than any other UK region.