Siemens and partner Ubitricity to provide on street residential electric vehicle charging points using existing street light infrastructure with £3.7m investment from Go-Ultra Low City Scheme.

Siemens is one of eight organisations to be awarded a place on a London-wide framework contract hosted by TfL, London Councils and Greater London Authority, and one of four suppliers using the electricity from street lights.

London boroughs will benefit from 1,150 charge points, due for delivery by the end of 2020.

TfL’s director of strategy and network development Ben Plowden said: “This will make London's transportgreener and improve its air quality.

"These boroughs are at the forefront of electrifying London, and it is by working together that we can clean up the capital’s toxic air.”

The use of existing street light infrastructure and shared electricity supply reportedly reduces the cost of deployment and disruption to residents.

Ubitricity retrofitted the first London lamppost with charge points in 2016, and now has around 300 charging points across London. London has 3,980 public charge points and around 13,000 electric vehicles.

The procurement framework is an initiative of London’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme, a partnership project between London Councils, Greater London Authority and Transport for London, and funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

This project is helping London boroughs to fulfill their charge point ambitions and deliver 1,150 charge points by the end of 2020.

Siemens Energy Management’s director Chris Beadsworth said: “By using existing infrastructure, it will provide a quality, convenient and simple charging point to help accelerate the increase in privately owned electric vehicles.

"Our aim is that charging your car should be as simple as charging your phone.

“Working together with our partners we make a cleaner more modern energy network a reality whilst delivering benefits for UK consumers without compromise.”

Ubitricity’s founder Knut Hechtfischer said: “By working with Siemens to deliver our technology this is now becoming a reality for all Londoners.

"If we want to improve the air quality in London, electric vehicle charging must be available to all, whether you happen to park on-street or offstreet.”

London Councils’ Chair of Transport and Environment Committee, Cllr Julian Bell said: “We each recognise the importance of improving air quality for Londoners and London Councils are leading the way in rolling out electric vehicle infrastructure across London by taking innovative new technology, such as using the power from lighting columns to charge vehicles, and scaling it up to provide safe charging solutions more accessible for Londoners.

“This is an exciting step in providing London boroughs the means to purchase and install electric vehicle charge points. Together, London Councils will continue to work with partners to improve our air quality and help clean up London’s air.”

In 2017 Siemens was named TfL Supplier of the Year recognising the strength of its collaborative working relationships.

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