Having recently overtaken Amsterdam to become the city with the most electric vehicle (EV) charge points in Europe, London’s commitment to expanding its emobility infrastructure shows no signs of slowing down.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced major plans to expand the capital’s charging infrastructure by installing rapid and ultra-rapid charge points on public land.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pledged to “unlock” TfL-owned land to allow for massive expansion of the city’s charging infrastructure.
The project will begin with Zest, a leading UK charge-point supplier with a decorated history of working with local authorities, installing 39 new EV charging bays across 24 locations in South London by the end of 2024. TfL’s ultimate goal is to install over 50 ultra-rapid hubs with 6-12 chargers, and even food and drink facilities.
Robin Heap, Zest CEO, said:
“The UK needs an injection of serious infrastructure to meet its net zero goals, and it is farsighted public sector organisations who are taking the lead. Placing rapid and ultra-rapid charging points directly onto London’s high-volume arterial roads will make it easier for drivers to choose electric and improve the air quality for local communities. We’re looking forward to providing and operating these charge points in partnership with Transport for London.”
The expansive charging hubs will pick up speed in the autumn, when TfL is planning to appoint a charge point operator (CPO) to install the sites on perfectly situated sites for road users across London.
This announcement comes off the back of TfL’s forecast, which predicts that if EVs continue to rise in popularity at the current soaring rates, the city will need at least 1,600 rapid charge points by 2025 and up to 3,900 by 2030.
As an international hub for trade, transport, and tourism, London is by far the UK’s most populous, therefore pollutive, city. As such, London already lays claim to 31% of all EV charging infrastructure across the UK. If the metropolis is to develop sustainably, abundant charge points are essential.
As we’ve seen with London’s Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ), the capital has the potential to begin a domino effect across all cities in the UK. Time will tell if this repurposing of public land will be followed in kind across the nation, with the government investment and interest from CPOs to expand the UK’s charging infrastructure to connect the country through emobility.
