Funding amped up for EV charging in London

London boroughs allocated £4.5 million to install 1,500 charging points around the capital

London boroughs are to receive a £4.5 million funding boost to install 1,500 electric vehicle (EVs) charging points on residential roads around the capital.

The investment was announced by Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority (GLA), which said the new charging infrastructure would enable Londoners without access to off-street parking to make the switch to EVs.

A total of 25 out of the 32 London boroughs will receive £300,000 each to install the standard speed charging points.

The cash injection comes courtesy of a grant awarded to London by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles through its Go Ultra Low City Scheme – a competition to encourage the uptake of EVs in urban areas. The local authorities will now work to identify the most appropriate spots in which to install the charging points.

Some of the money will also be used to support innovative approaches to charging. TfL said using lamp posts for the base and power supply, for example, would be “cheaper, quicker and easier to install, with less impact on the streetscape”.

“This substantial investment in electric charging points will make a real difference, making electric vehicles an easier and more practical option for Londoners across our city,” said London mayor Sadiq Khan.

“We have a bold ambition to make London’s transport system zero emission by 2050, and working with boroughs to roll out more charging infrastructure is a vital part of making this a reality.”

Further funding will be allocated to interested borough in 2018/19 once TfL, London Councils and the GLA have satisfied themselves with progress on the deployment of the first batch of charging points.

The announcement comes shortly after Transport for London appointed the suppliers which will roll out a separate network of rapid charging points around London by the end of 2020.

The Centrica Consortium, Bluepoint London, Chargemaster, Electricity Supply Board and Fastned were all awarded contracts to install, maintain and operate the network through a competitive bidding process.