The first of 100 rapid electric chargers promised by Mayor Sadiq Khan for taxis, business vehicles and emergency vehicles will be built in south and west London, it was announced today.
Transport for London said it had awarded a contract to Zest to install and operate 39 rapid or ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging bays, which deliver a full charge within 30 minutes, on land it owns beside main roads across the capital.
The new bays will be installed at 24 locations in Bromley, Greenwich, Hammersmith and Fulham, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth.
By the start of last month, London had 12,780 publicly accessible chargers – equivalent to 145 per 100,000 people, the most in the country.
But only 904 were rapid chargers – putting the capital in 12th place of all UK regions and nations.
Across the UK, there were 40,150 charging points, including 7,647 rapid chargers.
Mr Khan pledged to build 100 rapid charging points on TfL land when he gave the keynote speech at the Evening Standard’s Plug It In conference last November.
Under the 15-year deal with Zest, TfL will not incur any costs but will receive a share of charging revenues and ground rent. The charging bays will be in place by autumn next year.
A second contract for 60 additional rapid chargers is due to be announced this autumn. The aim is to encourage more businesses to switch to electric vehicles.
There are more than 103,000 plug-in electric cars and vans registered in the capital. TfL said the capital was “on track” to meet the mayor’s target of 40,000-60,000 charging points by 2030.
David Rowe, TfL’s director of investment delivery planning, said: “These 39 bays are the start of our new programme to boost the number of rapid charging points in the capital by making public land available to private sector providers.”
Shirley Rodrigues, deputy mayor for environment, said: “Electric cars are just one of the ways we can help to clean up London’s air and reduce harmful, toxic emissions.”
Robin Heap, Zest chief executive, 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.”
TfL predicts London will need 1,600 rapid charge points by 2025 and up to 3,900 by 2030.
It aims to have a rapid charging hub in every one of the capital’s five sub-regions, north, south, east, west and central.
The first was built in Stratford. Last year a hub opened at Baynard House in the City of London. Recently, two others have opened - MFG Collier Row and Euro Garages’ hub at Heathrow.
