While there is still a long road ahead for London on its electrification journey, the UK capital is leading the way when it comes to charging infrastructure. That was the message from the London Mayor, Sadiq Khan, speaking earlier today at the Evening Standard’s Plug It In Summit.
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 Mayor also revealed the launch of a new initiative that would see 100 new charging bays opened on some of London’s busiest roads by the end of 2023, a plan he described as “essential to support high-mileage drivers in London”.
The Mayor’s announcement came during his closing keynote speech at today’s Plug It In Summit, hosted by the Evening Standard at the Design Museum. Over the course of the day-long event, an audience of 200 policymakers, business leaders, innovators and industry experts had enjoyed a series of fireside chats and panel discussions focused on delivering a realistic plan for the electrification of London’s transport.
These included talks on how to make London Net Zero 2030 a reality; the future of autonomous EVs in London; the challenges behind E-mobility; and EV battery technology breakthroughs.
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 messaging was positive yet urgent, with many speakers stressing the need for communal action.
This summit represents the first milestone in what is an ongoing campaign by the Evening Standard, launched on 16 June with the support of Mr Khan.
The Mayor of London said: “I am in no doubt that the shift to electric vehicles is imperative to cleaning up our air and bringing down harmful emissions.
“This step is key to ultimately building a better London for everyone – a city that is greener, safer, fairer and more prosperous for all. Together, as a city, I’m confident we can bring this vision to life and usher in a new, healthier, electric age for London.”
Sadiq Khan was speaking at our Plug It In Summit. See more on the event at standard.co.uk/plugitin
