A new taskforce dedicated to boosting the infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) across the capital has been launched by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

A total of 104 rapid charging points have already been introduced, but they have mostly been delivered on land or roads managed by Transport for London (TfL). The mayor believes the capital requires a major expansion in charging infrastructure to help businesses, taxi drivers and Londoners switch to electric, and that this must be delivered in partnership with the private sector.

The taskforce comprises 16 organisations including Shell UK, UK Power Networks, the British Retail Consortium and the RAC Foundation. At the launch on May 31, the work of the taskforce was outlined, including technical workshops run by Transport for London over the summer and a shared Delivery Plan to be published next year.

The mayor said: “I’m delighted to launch a new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Taskforce, bringing together industry, businesses and the public sector to work to deliver electric vehicle charging infrastructure in the capital. London’s filthy air is a public health crisis, and encouraging more Londoners to switch from diesel to electric vehicles is critical in tackling it.

“We’ve already made some great progress with the rollout of electric buses, electric taxis and rapid charging points, alongside launching the Toxicity Charge (T-Charge) for the oldest polluting vehicles in central London, and bringing forward the introduction of the world’s first Ultra-Low Emission Zone. But we cannot do this alone.

“We’ve received huge support for this new taskforce, showing it is not just an environment or transport issue but one that is vital to the future of our city, and organisations across all sectors are stepping up and accepting they have a part to play. This initiative will support London boroughs and ensure electric vehicle infrastructure is installed in the right places, and help make our city an even better place to live.”

Alongside around 2,000 standard charge points already installed across London, at least 150 TfL-funded rapid charge points are set to be in place by the end of 2018 in addition to new infrastructure in residential neighbourhoods. The mayor would also like to see rapid charging ‘hubs’ – a group of charging points, similar to petrol stations – set up across the city.

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