SMMT News

Mayor’s electric vehicle charging network, Source London, to go live in spring 2011

06 November 2010 #SMMT News

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has announced that London’s city wide electric vehicle charging network, ‘Source London’, will launch in spring 2011.

Source London, which will deliver 1,300 public charging points across London by 2013, is part of the Mayor’s plans for London to become the electric vehicle capital of Europe. The network will create a single visual identity for electric driving across the capital, and allow members to charge their vehicles at any one of these public charging points for no more than an £100 annual membership fee. Currently, electric vehicle drivers have to register in each separate borough they want to use charge points in.
 
In preparation for this new network, a website, www.sourcelondon.net, has also been launched providing a ‘one stop shop’ of information on electric vehicles, including charge point locations across the city.
The scheme has been led by Transport for London in close collaboration with the London boroughs and a wide range of private sector partners, who will play a key part in funding and providing locations for the network’s charge points.
“Already there are more electric drivers in London than anywhere else in the UK, but we are now entering an incredibly exciting period in electric motoring”, said Mr Johnson, “Major manufacturers are gearing up to launch more affordable, practical electric cars over the next few years, whilst the cost of traditional fuels are making petrol-free driving an increasingly attractive option. By opting for electric in greater numbers, Londoners will also help to cut pollution levels and improve the city’s quality of living”.
Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, said: “We recognise that for many people the car is an essential, not a luxury, and that is why we are prioritising spending on making the UK a world leader in ultra low emission cars. Following the first round of our Plugged-in-Places scheme, cities like London are laying the groundwork for a national charge point network. And thanks to our spending review settlement, which secured over £400m for measures to promote the uptake of electric and ultra-low emission vehicle technologies, more areas will soon be able to join them.”
Mr Johnson recently confirmed a 100% discount from the congestion charge for electric drivers in the capital, as well as other low emission vehicles, which offers electric vehicle owners using the zone a potential saving of more than £2000 a year.
The aspiration is to have 100,000 electric vehicles on London’s streets as soon as possible. A recent report by HSBC estimates that the global electric vehicle market could be worth £440bn by 2020 with the EU being the biggest market. Work to boost this market in London could help to generate millions of pounds for the UK manufacturing industry, create new jobs and green the UK economy.

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