London’s electric transport future

18 June 2019

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced plans to make London a world leader in electric transport.

′We need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace an electric revolution in London’s transport.’

According to the roadmap, the UK’s capital will be 100% electric by 2030 – ten years before the UK Government officially ends the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

′We need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace an electric revolution in London’s transport. To truly transform the quality of our air and to tackle the climate crisis, London must move away from petrol and diesel cars, with their catastrophic impact on the environment, and towards zero- emission vehicles,’ Sadiq Khan said in a statement.

′I want London to lead the world in this ambition, with all new cars and vans on London roads meeting these standards by 2030, not 2040 as the government is proposing,’ he continued.

London currently sits at the forefront of low-emission vehicles – with a network of 175 rapid charging points across the city and over 1,100 lamp post charging points. The plans announced earlier this week will ensure more rapid charging points are constructed in the coming years – making electric vehicle (EV) ownership more viable for residents.

The plans account for a dramatic increase in the volume of EVs on roads by 2025, which currently stands at 20,000 but is predicted to increase to 330,000.

Clean cabs

London currently boasts a fleet of 1,700 electric taxis with the taxi trade investing £100 million (€112 million) in the electrification of the city’s iconic black cabs. The transition continues at a rate of 40 new clean cabs being added every week.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, said: ′We are pleased to support the mayor’s visionary strategy in bringing together the private and public sector to deliver the infrastructure needed to ensure that London has not only the best taxi service in the world but the cleanest!’