Transport for London increase UK capital's charging points to over 5000

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Transport for London (TfL) is on track to have installed around 6,000 electric vehicle charging points across the city to coincide with the soon-to-be expanded Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ).

TFL’s target of installing 300 more fast-charge points in 2020, has been achieved, despite the constraining effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the British capital now has more than 500 rapid charge points with over 5,500 residential charge points, with charging capacity reserved exclusively to the 4,000 electric taxis operating in the London area.

As part of the wider infrastructure development, companies like Siemens, Trojan Energy and working with the city’s boroughs to develop kerbside charging stations and build upon London’s pioneering approach to regulating emissions in urban areas with a quarter of the UK’s total EV charging points located in the capital, 18 years on from becoming the first major global city to introduce a Congestion Charge for vehicles.

“It’s essential we help more people move away from petrol and diesel cars to tackle the twin dangers of air pollution and the climate emergency,” commented Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. “I’m delighted that 300 more electric vehicle rapid charging points have been installed by TfL, increasing London’s total electric charging points to almost 6000. This success is testament to our partners in the private sector who have stepped up and shown real ambition to help London lead the electric vehicle revolution.”

Estimates show that although the recent developments are encouraging news, by 2025 London will require up to 4,000 rapid charging points with 48,000 residential charge points, echoing a plan laid out by an EV charging taskforce presented by London’s mayor in June 2019 as part of plans to transform central London into one of the largest car-free zones in any capital city in the world.