London EV charging network to go live in Spring 2011
Mon 08 November 2010
View all news
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced the creation of a city-wide network of electric car charging points to support an anticipated 100,000 new electric vehicles on the streets of the capital. The network, Source London, aims to install 1,300 charging points across London by 2013 and will 'go live' in Spring 2011, fewer than the 7,500 originally proposed.
An increase in the number of electric vehicles on Britain's roads is expected in 2011 as a result of the introduction of the Government's £5,000 ultra-low carbon car grants from the beginning of the year.
Currently, electric vehicle drivers have to register in each London borough in which they want to use charge points. Under Source London, drivers will register centrally at the Source London website and pay an annual fee of £100.
A 100 percent discount from the congestion charge scheme for electric vehicle drivers in the London has also been also confirmed, potentially saving EV drivers £2000 annually.
The Source London website will also act as a central information point for electric vehicles, including charge point locations across the city
The Mayor said: "Already there are more electric drivers in London than anywhere else in the UK, but we are now entering an incredibly exciting period in electric motoring. Major manufacturers are gearing up to launch more affordable, practical electric cars over the next few years, while the cost of traditional fuels are making petrol-free driving an increasingly attractive option."
The launch follows the Mayor's EV strategy set out in 2009 in his Electric Vehicle Delivery Plan, which highlights the requirement for extensive charging infrastructure to facilitate the uptake and usage of electric vehicles in London.
Discussions are also now taking place with other UK cities developing charge point networks to ensure standardisation across the country and to ensure that London's work can contribute to a national network of charge points. Transport for London has offered the use of the trademarked Source brand potentially creating a national network under a single identity.
Related Links
< Back to news list