- London’s Hackney Council has launched a new electric-only car club pilot in collaboration with Zipcar and Zest Charging, helping to bring 15 shared electric cars and 70 new on-street charging points to the borough.
- With only 35% of households in Hackney owning a private car, the council is hoping that this new scheme will help promote cleaner and sustainable travel methods to local residents.
- The new charging infrastructure will also be a boost to other EV drivers, with each of the 35 new charging locations having two parking bays, one being reserved for both the electric car club and one for public EV charging.
Electrification is making car clubs even more sustainable
Under this new pilot scheme, which will be operated by Zipcar, the council hopes to install at least one electric car club bay in each ward of Hackney, ensuring all residents have the opportunity to drive and use an EV. With the sales of new pure petrol and diesel cars ending in 2030, schemes such as these could be the first chance that some people get to drive a fully-electric car – allowing them to try out the benefits of electrification in a lower-pressure environment.
The scheme has been made possible with over £1 million of combined funding, coming from both the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund and private investment from EV charging operator Zest. To further boost the attractiveness of this new fully-electric car club, Zipcar has teamed up with the Zero Emissions Network to offer local businesses free membership to the scheme for the first year.
Hackney already operates one of the largest car club fleets in London, and this pilot scheme will help build towards its 2026 target of 300 shared vehicles – with half of those being electric models. The council is hoping to cut the number of cars on its streets by 25% in 2041, and car sharing schemes such as these will play a crucial part in reaching that goal.
James Taylor, General Manager at Zipcar UK, commented:
“We are delighted to be trialling Zipcar UKs very first dedicated in-bay charging for shared electric cars with Hackney Council and Zest. Moving to electric vehicles is a crucial part of our long-term strategy, and vital for the health of our city and our planet. We’re looking forward to enabling members and Hackney residents to be part of this positive change.”
Sarah Young, Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport, added:
“I am really pleased that we’re offering residents inclusive affordable access to electric vehicles, which will get people used to driving and charging them. Shared electric vehicles are a win-win: they reduce air pollution and support equity for residents by adding to the affordable transport options, and support people who want to live car-free. This pilot is an important step in making sustainable transport the easy choice in Hackney.”
