Siemens and ubitricity rollout first London EV lamppost charging points
Southwark Council joined Siemens and its technology partner ubitricity to unveil their first electric vehicle charge points using existing lampposts in the borough.
Taxi driver Reiss Woodward is one of ten drivers involved in the trial.
The charge points have initially been installed in Neckinger Road and will provide an on-street charging service to residents. The chargers being installed are part of the new London procurement framework and the fact that these chargers can be integrated into existing infrastructure should mean a faster roll out than other on-street charging infrastructure. Southwark Council is in discussions to install around 60 of these sockets to help residents who do not have access to off-street parking and therefore need to park and charge at home, on-street. The ubitricity SimpleSocketPlus offers councils proven technology to retrofit the city’s street lights, providing convenient and affordable electric vehicle charging points for residents and visitors alike. The sockets can be installed directly into the existing street light, eliminating the need the for additional infrastructure and minimising the need for any new street clutter. Uniquely requiring no external components, they are ideal for any residential, community or business area, preserving both the look and feel of the street.
Where the street light is installed at the back of the footway, the Worcester manufactured self-righting and passive safe NAL EV charging bollard is deployed. These charge points see a number of firsts for London, and possibly anywhere in or out of the UK. Users are offered two simple access methods to charge their vehicles. Pay As You Go – bring your own standard charging cable, simply plug-in, scan a QR code with your smartphone’s camera or free download app (on iOS and Android), enter your payment details and charging commences at a flat rate of 24p/kWh. No monthly fee, just pay for the kWhs you use. The ubitricity SmartCable – bring your own personal energy tariff with you to any ubitricity charge point. From as little as 16.2p/kWh, your SmartCable is plug-and-play, no QR code, no RFID card, just connect and come back in the morning. The first Southwark resident to use these charge points is Reiss, a recent convert to the iconic electric LEVC black taxi. Taxi drivers, just like any other London residents, need a convenient and affordable method of charging their vehicle when they get home from work, be it early evening or early morning. Cllr Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member at Southwark Council said: “These electric vehicle charge points are being installed in residential streets, outside people’s homes, in response to feedback from our residents. “We want to help people to make decisions that improve air quality here in Southwark, be that by walking, cycling and taking public transport, or by using clean fuel. These new charge points are making it easier than ever for people who live in Southwark to make the switch to electric vehicles.”
