Birmingham to support taxi fleets with rapid charger network

Birmingham City Council is to roll out 394 fast and rapid chargers to support taxi fleets making the switch to electric vehicles.

The new charge points will be added over the next two years and powered by renewable energy.

The charging network is being supported through £2.92 million in funding from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the council’s newly-procured Electric Vehicle (EV) Network Development Partner, ESB EV Solutions.

While taxi fleets have been the main driver behind the project, the network will also be made available for use by other businesses and the general public.

Birmingham City Council will work with ESB EV Solutions to develop and deliver a complete charging strategy for the next 12 years.

This will set-out plans for a city-wide EV charging system, focused on meeting the specific needs of all communities throughout Birmingham.

The electric vehicle charge point locations will be chosen based on an assessment of predicted local demand, to ensure that the charge points provide maximum benefit to EV drivers.

Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: “This is huge news for our city, and a major step in supporting our climate emergency commitment to cut carbon emissions.

“What’s more, it will be a key driver in supporting the electrification of Birmingham’s taxi fleet which is a major step in us improving air quality in the city centre.”