Johnson anunció durante su participación en una conferencia sobre cambio climático celebrada en Seúl (Corea del Sur) que a finales de este año se comenzarán a instalar puntos de recarga en las estaciones de metro, centros comerciales, aparcamientos, oficinas y calles residenciales. El alcalde prevé que haya 25.000 puntos de recarga repartidos por toda la ciudad hacia el año 2015, con lo que se daría servicio a 100.000 vehículos, según informó el vespertino londinense Evening standard.
Por el momento ya se pueden ver algunos de estos puntos -donde se conectan los coches eléctricos para recargar sus baterías- en el distrito londinense de Westminster, aunque su presencia no deja de ser testimonial. Los propietarios de coches eléctricos que residen en este distrito pagan un impuesto anual de 200 libras (224 euros), aunque a cambio pueden dejar su coche gratuitamente en los aparcamientos públicos.
"Los productores de coches están preparándose para fabricar vehículos eléctricos y convertirlos en una posibilidad más para los consumidores en sólo unos pocos años", destacó Johnson, quien animó a los líderes de todo el mundo a crear las condiciones adecuadas para que puedan utilizarse.
El Consistorio londinense pretende introducir en su propia flota de vehículos un millar de coches y motos eléctricos para el año 2015. Los organizadores de los Juegos Olímpicos Londres 2012 también están estudiando adoptar una medida similar.
"Los productores de coches están preparándose para fabricar vehículos eléctricos y convertirlos en una posibilidad más para los consumidores en sólo unos pocos años", destacó Johnson, quien animó a los líderes de todo el mundo a crear las condiciones adecuadas para que puedan utilizarse.
El Consistorio londinense pretende introducir en su propia flota de vehículos un millar de coches y motos eléctricos para el año 2015. Los organizadores de los Juegos Olímpicos Londres 2012 también están estudiando adoptar una medida similar.
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Mayor invites the world to ‘plug in’ to London’s electric vehicle revolution
19-5-2009 242
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today addressed Mayors from around the world at the C40 Climate Change Summit in Seoul, detailing London’s delivery plans to become a world leader in electric vehicle usage – the Mayor committed to share this experience to help other C40 cities to do the same and together create a massive market for electric vehicles.
The Mayor has pledged to make London the electric car capital of Europe by achieving at least 100,000 electric vehicles on the capital’s streets as soon as possible helping to stimulate the UK’s electric vehicle market, create ‘green collar’ jobs, cut carbon emissions and improve air quality. Today in Seoul, the Mayor published a detailed delivery plan outlining how London will achieve this goal, creating a large UK market for electric vehicles.
The Mayor also announced London’s participation in a C40 partnership of cities dedicated to share experiences and agree practical steps in order to accelerate the global market for electric vehicles – this could include: procurement and promotion of electric vehicles in city fleets; the development of charging infrastructure; promotion of electric vehicle uptake for residents; and financial incentives for consumers. This working group will compromise of London, Seoul, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Toronto. Bogota, Delhi, Sao Paulo, Beijing and Sydney also pledged to participate their involvement in this work.
The Mayor announced London will set up a dedicated electric vehicle centre of excellence within the Greater London Authority group to deliver the London delivery plan. The unit will also work with other cities seeking to take forward similar plans.
The Mayor, said: ‘Car manufacturers are already gearing up to make electric vehicles a common choice for consumers in just a few years’ time. City leaders across the world must rise to the challenge of creating the right conditions to support their usage in our urban centres. The move to electric vehicles, which emit zero pollution on to our city streets, will have a massive impact on cutting carbon emissions to curb climate change whilst improving air quality and noise levels for our citizens.
‘London has today launched a comprehensive plan to make the UK capital the electric vehicle capital of Europe. We want to learn from the experiences of other cities, but have also pledged to share the London template in order to help stimulate a global market for electric vehicles.
London’s electric vehicle delivery plan (available: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/publications/2009/05/electric-vehicles.jsp) pledges to work with London’s borough councils, central government, public and private sectors to make London a leading centre of electric vehicles. It includes timescales to deliver a comprehensive coverage of 25,000 charging points across London by 2015 with the areas identified as likely to be at the forefront of take-up, being prioritised. The plan includes a network of ‘fast-charge’ points to be operational by 2012. The installation of charging points in London Underground stations will start at the end of 2009.
As part of the revision to the London Plan – London’s spatial development plan – the Mayor plans to require that new developments with parking should provide electric charging points. This would result in thousands of charge points from adoption of the revised Plan in 2011.
London is now developing a joint procurement plan across the Mayor’s functional bodies to deliver 1,000 electric vehicles by 2015. Discussions will be undertaken with the Olympic Organising Committee to include significant numbers of electric vehicles in the London 2012 fleet.
The Mayor’s office will also conduct investigations to establish the operational requirements to deliver electric solutions for London’s other fleets, such as vans and minicabs, in the future.
There is already a strong incentive in London to use an electric vehicle, as these are exempt from the city’s central London congestion charge – the Mayor has in addition guaranteed this exemption in the future. Further incentives are identified under the Mayor’s delivery plan. Work will also be undertaken to encourage electric vehicle uptake through higher public awareness including the establishment of a common-branded charge point network and up-to-date, easily accessible online information.
Cities across the world consume 75 per cent of the world’s energy and produce 80 per cent of its climate change emissions and the Seoul Summit is bringing together representatives from 80 cities around the world to champion practical ways to tackle this issue. The Mayor is visiting the Summit in his capacity as Honorary Deputy Chair of the C40 to work on practical ways that these large cities can cut carbon emissions and save energy. Whilst in Seoul the Mayor also visited the Seoul Olympic Park and took part in events to boost Korean inward investment to London.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
* Press releases linked to Mayor’s Seoul visit: http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=22078 / http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=22058 / http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=22057
* The Mayor will chair the first plenary of the C40 Seoul Summit entitled ‘Climate Change and the Economic Crisis: the financial benefits associated with greenhouse gas reduction’ and will partake in a conference event to discuss international collaboration on low carbon transport, entitled: ‘Infrastructure issues for Advanced Technology Vehicles’
* For more information on the C40 Seoul summit, visit: www.c40seoulsummit.com
* During his trip to Seoul, in addition to his regular Twitter and Facebook entries, the Mayor will for the very first time also be updating Londoners with the latest online communication, ‘phlogs’ – phlogs are online audio postcards, which will be available at www.london.gov.uk and on the Mayor’s Twitter site: www.twitter.com/mayoroflondon
* For more information on ‘phlogs’ visit: www.ipadio.com
* The Mayor outlined his vision for London’s electric car revolution earlier this year, for more information visit: www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=21677
* The growth of electric vehicles is significant for the creation of a green economy and job creation. It is estimated that 100,000 cars will directly lead to thousands more jobs in car manufacturing, supply chain industries and in the provision and maintenance of the infrastructure for the cars.
* Electric cars will also deliver considerable benefits to the environment by improving air quality, cutting emissions and reducing noise pollution. Sixty-nine per cent of harmful particulate emissions in London come from road transport whereas electric cars have zero emissions when being driven. Electric vehicles also result in between twenty-five and fifty per cent lower carbon emissions than comparable petrol or diesel cars and this will reduce further over time as the amount of energy – which charges the electric vehicles batteries – generated by renewable sources increases.
* Many of the world’s major car manufacturers are planning to turn their prototype electric vehicles into full production by 2011/12. The provision of infrastructure and incentives will give a further encouragement to manufacturers to bring accelerate production of electric vehicles.
* Electric vehicles are well suited to London and future travel patterns as a result of: expected population growth of another one million people over the next 20 years; expected shorter local journeys being made by cars; many trips in outer journey are made by car.
* The London Electric Vehicle Partnership, founded by the Mayor in November 2008, is designed to greatly increase the use of electric vehicles in the capital. The partnership includes representatives of the Greater London Authority, the motor and energy industries and the capital’s boroughs, all working to share best practice, co-ordinate activity, and encourage greater funding of the technology.
* To contact London’s electric vehicle delivery unit, email: ev@london.gov.uk
www.london.gov.uk/mayor/publications/2009/docs/electric-vehicles-plan.pdf
www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp
