“Electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular, with nearly two in every five new car sales being electric, but access to charging can be a barrier,” said Councillor Alexander Ehmann, chair of Richmond Council’s Transport and Air Quality Committee.
“Our residents often rely on cars due to the limited public transport network in south-west London, so by expanding the charging network we hope that even more people will choose to go electric and help improve the air quality in our borough.
“For those who are wanting to try out an EV, the Zipcar Flex car club operating in the borough offers electric options. And for those who are having to scrap their car to comply with the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion, the Council is offering financial support for you to try car clubs through our Good Move Scheme.”
Access
With the UK set to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, providing adequate charging infrastructure – particularly for those without access to off-street parking – has become more pressing.
The agreement between the two councils and ubitricity was procured through the On-street Residential Charge point Scheme (ORCS), a grant providing funding for local authorities to install residential on-street charge points.
Through ORCS funding, local authorities can receive a grant covering up to 60 percent of residential charge point procurement and installation costs.
In 2021, Shell announced its ambition to install 50,000 on-street EV charging posts across the UK by the end of 2025.
“The current surge in EV sales is driving increased demand for charging facilities, and this can create issues for drivers who don’t have access to off-street charging where they live,” said Toby Butler, UK Managing Director at ubitricity.
Birmingham hub
Earlier this month, BP launched what it says is the UK’s largest electric vehicle charging hub capable of serving up to 180 cars.
The hub, located on the intersection of three motorways outside of Birmingham, includes 30 ultra-fast 300 kilowatt charging stations, which can add over 160 kilometres of driving range in 15 minutes.
It is part of the firm’s plan to invest £1 billion ($1.25 billion) by 2030 to build hundreds of EV charging hubs across the country.
Image: ubitricity
https://cities-today.com/london-councils-expand-ev-charging-networks/
