London is progressing towards becoming an EV hub, as demonstrated by the recent expansion of the London Ultra Low Emission Zone and the implementation of electric buses and electric taxis across the city. In fact, London Mayor, Sadiq Khan has been determined to make the UK capital a net zero-carbon city by 2030 and believes the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) to be crucial in achieving this goal. Despite the efforts to reduce pollution and traffic congestion in urban environments like London, the reality is that delays and high levels of emissions persist. According to TomTom data, London maintained its position as the worst city in the UK for travel-related emissions in 2022. Figures also showed that, despite the first ULEZ expansion in October 2021, travel-related emissions in the centre of London increased by 2% between 2021 to 2022. However, data has also shown that increasing London’s EV ratio by just 1% would write off 155,000t of CO2 emissions – equivalent to a forest the size of Manchester (125km2). This data emphasises the positive impact that recent policy and corporate initiatives can have with regards to promoting a more sustainable transportation system in London. As it stands, London is leading the global EV adoption race, but how can the city maintain its leading position and pave the way for further adoption? The answer lies in the city’s ability to make critical infrastructure changes that will support the growing number of EVs on the streets. Tackling range and charging anxiety The reality is the transition to electricpowered vehicles remains a decision tinged with anxiety for both businesses and citizens alike, which is most often 16 AFTERMARKET DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024 BUSINESS www.aftermarketonline.net How can London stay at the forefront of the EV revolution? linked to uncertainty around fastcharging infrastructure and vehicle range. The challenge is to convince the capital’s drivers to trust the technology enough by removing the two major psychological barriers hampering largescale adoption; range and charging anxiety. With 74% of EV owners disappointed with the UK’s current infrastructure, more needs to be done to tackle charging point reliability and subsequent charging anxiety. Those in charge of London policy should focus on the 8,600 new public charging points that have already been installed across London, making up a third of the UK’s total charging points. Further education should also be provided around plans to introduce around 40,000 to 60,000 more charging points by 2030, as part of TfL’s EV infrastructure strategy. Additionally, EV manufacturers and solution providers have a responsibility to educate end-users on the BY Drew Meehan, Senior Product Manager for Electric Vehicles at TomTom CAPITAL IDEA?
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