Transport for London (TfL) and Engenie have joined forces to open London’s first rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging hub at Stratford International Station car park.

The EV hub is the first of five that will be opened in London over the next few years to serve the capital’s 30,000 EV drivers.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, said: “Today’s announcement will help us to continue to work together with London boroughs and the private sector to deliver a major expansion in charging infrastructure and an electric vehicle revolution in the capital.”

The charging hub is central to the Mayor of London’s EV infrastructure delivery plan, in which he pledged to open at least five rapid charging hubs over the coming years and install 300 rapid chargers by the end of 2020.

The hub will host six 50kW rapid chargers with connectors compatible with every EV on the market.

The charge points are fully open access to all EV drivers, allowing them to pay for charging with a simple tap of a contactless card or smart phone, with no registration or membership required.

TfL has contributed funding towards the project, which is hosted by landlord HS1 and delivered and operated by Engenie.

Engenie will be subsidising the site, to ensure that there will be no parking fees for those using the chargers, for the foreseeable future.

“London is trailblazing the EV revolution and actively working to deliver cleaner air for its 9 million residents,” said Ian Johnston, CEO of Engenie. “This rapid charging hub is a significant step change in the crucial infrastructure needed to serve the accelerating number of electric vehicles across the city.”

The new charging hub in Stratford will be open from December 28.

Christina Calderato, TfL’s head of transport strategy and planning, said: “We know that a comprehensive network of charging points is essential if we are to persuade drivers to ditch polluting diesel vehicles and swap them for electric alternatives.

“Installing 1,000 more residential charging points across the capital means more Londoners can plug their vehicle in while at home, even if they don’t have a driveway.

“For those that need to charge up in 20-30 minutes, London is one of the leading world cities for rapid charge points.

“The addition of the east hub in Stratford is the first super charging facility, allowing drivers easy access and convenient methods of payment.”

Almost 3,000 London taxis have switched to electric to navigate the introduction of ultra-low emission zones in the city. This hub will support this transport transition with accessible and convenient charging, says TfL.

As of 1 January 2020, all newly licensed private hire vehicles that are less than 18 months old will need to be plug-in hybrid, electric or hydrogen vehicles.

Andrew Wescott, head of regulatory and external affairs at Addison Lee Group, said: “Independent research and our own EV trials show that drivers will need access to a mix of home chargers and an ‘on-the-go’ rapid network.

“Over the next two years we need a significant increase in this network so that we can keep London’s economy moving while improving air quality for its citizens.”

Earlier this month, TfL hit its target of rolling out 225 rapid charging points in 2019. London’s rapid charging network now totals over 300 points following effective collaboration between the public and private sector.

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