London Mayor Unveils New Charging Strategy Towards Net Zero 2030 At Plug It In Summit

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London’s electrification journey still has a long way to go, but the UK’s capital is setting the pace in terms of charging infrastructure. Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, delivered this message at the recent Evening Standard’s Plug It In Summit at the Design Museum. During the Plug It In Summit, he outlined his plans to keep London in front of the electric vehicle revolution as well as his commitment to making London a cleaner, greener, and healthier city.

In attendance during the Plug It In Summit was a mix of 200 legislators, business executives, innovators, and industry professionals who attended the full-day event, where a series of fireside chats and panel discussions aimed to produce a workable plan for the electrification of London’s transportation were held. Some of the topics discussed by the attendees were how to achieve London Net Zero 2030, the future of autonomous EVs in London, the difficulties of e-mobility, and advancements in EV battery technology.

Mr. Khan said, “There are over 11,000 charge points in London, of which more than 800 are rapid and ultra-rapid. Of the 800 rapid charge points in London, around half have been delivered by Transport for London. This is a third of the UK’s total, and a 170 percent increase compared to 2019.”

The new initiative, which the Mayor characterized as “vital to support high-mileage drivers in London,” will see 100 extra charging bays installed on some of London’s busiest highways. The sites have been identified on the Transport for London Road Network which will be suitable for a further 100 ultra-rapid charge points. The goal is to have all 100 of them operating by the end of 2023. The first 25 of these will be put out to bid on November 30th, and 75 more will follow by the end of April of the following year.

In terms of volume and share, London has the most public quick charge terminals in any European city. Compared to the national average of one charge station for every twelve vehicles, London has one charge point for every four registered electric vehicles.

The Mayor’s determination to make London a cleaner, greener city, is evident with his 2019 Electric Vehicle Strategy, and the London EV Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which is putting the city on the path to a cleaner, greener future, has been the only thing that has made this possible.

But in order for this development to continue, it is crucial that the correct kind of charging stations — with 10% of them being rapid charge stations — be installed quickly to fulfill the anticipated need of 40,000–60,000 charging stations by 2030. London is on course to reach this goal, but the mayor wants to go above and beyond by making room for 100 more ultra-rapid charging outlets in order to support this ambitious objective.

Ultra-rapid charge points can deliver a full charge in 20-30 minutes and are therefore most suitable for high mileage users, such as emergency services, taxis, private hire vehicles, delivery drivers, and local businesses.

The London Mayor Mr. Khan said during the Plug It In Summit, “I’m in no doubt that the shift to electric vehicles is imperative to cleaning up our air and bringing down harmful emissions. As a city, we’ve traveled an impressive distance in a relatively short period of time in terms of rolling out the necessary infrastructure and encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles. But the gravity of the threats we face from the climate crisis and toxic air pollution demand that we now redouble our efforts and go even further, even faster.” “And to ultimately build a better London for everyone – a city that is greener, safer, fairer, and more prosperous for all.  This is my vision for the future of our city and its road network and I hope that, together, we can bring it to life and usher in a new, healthier, electric age for London.”

“It’s vital we don’t take our foot off the pedal now and lose momentum. That’s why my administration has published its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy and set a target of quadrupling – at a minimum – the number of public charge points in London by 2030.

“Freeing up public land to deliver more charging points, and charging hubs, will be crucial to hitting and, hopefully, exceeding this target. And so to that end, I’m pleased to announce that next Wednesday TfL will be putting 25 of its sites out to tender for charge point operators.”

The Mayor’s environmental initiatives are also giving Londoners access to new green jobs. To assist in doubling London’s green economy and create green employment in the areas where they are most needed, the Mayor has pledged to invest in these jobs and skills of the future.

According to the European Association of Electrical Contractors, 200,000 permanent employees will be created in the European electric car industry, with about 57% of those positions supporting the setup, running, and upkeep of electric vehicle charging stations. In London alone, more than 4,500 jobs are anticipated to be generated to support the infrastructure for charging.

Through UK supplier chains and related businesses, additional jobs will be generated outside of London as well. For instance, electrifying London’s bus fleet by 2030 might lead to significant bus orders in manufacturing towns including Ballymena, Scarborough, Falkirk, and Yorkshire. This would represent a gross investment of £4 billion in bus manufacture and support of 3,000 employees.

Speakers at the inaugural event included representatives from Uber, Polestar, TFL, Gridserve, and the London Fire Brigade, as well as environmentalists from the Green Alliance, the Climate Group, and the Green Finance Institute. The overall message was upbeat but urgent, and many speakers emphasized the necessity of group action. The Evening Standard’s continuous campaign, which was started on June 16 with Mr. Khan’s assistance, has reached its first major turning point with the Plug It In Summit.

The International Council on Clean Transportation praised the Mayor’s strategy, noting that London has ambitious plans to decarbonize the transportation industry, including goals for all new car and light-goods vehicle sales to be zero-emission by 2030, all taxis and private hire vehicles to be zero-emission capable by 2033, and for a zero-emission zone to go into effect in Central London by 2025. To fulfill these objectives and improve air quality and the climate, a robust charging infrastructure will be necessary.

As the mayor works to get London to net zero by 2030, the way that residents of that city move around their city will undergo a major redesign during the coming ten years. Along with the promotion of increased cycling, walking, and usage of public transportation among Londoners, electric vehicles will play a significant role in this plan.

Source: London.gov


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