The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has launched a taskforce aimed at electric vehicle uptake in the capital.
Representatives from the commercial vehicle - including the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) - and bus industries are among the taskforce members who will review and optimise the EV charging infrastructure in the capital, with a focus on getting individuals and business to adopt EV technology to improve air quality.
Other taskforce members include the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the Freight Transport Association (FTA).
Khan said: “We’ve received huge support for this new taskforce, showing it is not just an environment or transport issue but one that is vital to the future of our city, and organisations across all sectors are stepping up and accepting they have a part to play.”
The full list of taskforce members is:
- British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Association (BEAMA)
- British Retail Consortium
- Cross River Partnership
- Energy UK
- Federation of Small Businesses
- Freight Transport Association
- London Councils
- London First
- Office for Low Emission Vehicles
- Ofgem
- RAC Foundation
- Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
- Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
- Shell UK
- SSE Enterprise
- UK Power Networks
Martin Winlow - 12/06/2018 10:16
Why *ON EARTH* are there no *EV drivers* represented here? For years we (I have been an EV driver for nearly 10 years having converted my first EV from a petrol van in 2009) have been completely left out of the EV charging infrastructure consultation process whilst hundreds of millions of tax-payers money has been, basically, squandered on a few favoured UK manufacturers of charging equipment. OLEV's scheme of subsidizing the purchase by the end user of charging points for home and business use is a complete joke when what the EV market *really* needs is a national network of DC rapid charging points that enable EV users to complete long journeys without worry of getting stranded or stuck in a long queue as well as permitting EV owners who do not have off-street parking (and, therefore, charging capability) to own an EV. Both these issues are *critical* roadblocks to the mass adoption of EVs and yet the government is wasting all this money on predominantly completely unnecessary charging points. I justify my views with the fact that the average daily car use in the UK is under 20 miles (according to the AA). It would take an EV merely 3 hours charging from a 13A socket to recoup this amount of 'fuel'. Why is OLEV forking out millions to pay for charging equipment that will allow people to supply that amount of energy in one hour? Everyone will plug their EVs in overnight so why the need for so much power (and expense)? And please don't say the motoring organisations represent EV owners because they don't! The response I got from the AA - having been a member for 40 years - when I asked what they would do for me if I got stranded at a non-functioning rapid charge point was "We'll tow you to the nearest working charge-point" My next question was "In the direction I am going?" A: "Well....." What use is that?! ... unless I want to go back where I came from!!! End of my AA membership. Mayor Khan - *Please* take your proposals/questions to at least some of the myriad EV forums here in the UK and ask *us* what we want and *do not* simply listen to the manufacturers who are only interested in making as much money as they can, as quickly as they can!