Mayor of London promised to install 40,000 EV chargers by 2030 but has only reached 26,000 so far, reports Kumail Jaffer, Local Democracy Reporter

Sir Sadiq Khan’s progress towards installing 40,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points in London by 2030 has been cast into fresh doubt after new figures revealed the capital is still only 70% of the way there.

New figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) revealed that 4,749 public charge points were added to the London charging network since October 2024, bringing the total number to 26,668.

In Khan’s 2024 election manifesto, he pledges to “work with partners to get to 40,000 electric vehicle charging points in London” by 2030.

With five years to go, critics of the mayor have suggested that fulfilling the promise could come down to the wire.

Hina Bokhari, the Liberal Democrat group leader on the London Assembly, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “While London is making progress on EV charger rollout, we need to work much faster to meet the mayor’s 40,000 target by 2030.

“While the mayor drags his feet, Londoners who are clearly itching to make the switch don’t have the confidence that they’ll be able to charge swiftly and easily.

“Electric vehicle adoption in London is already outpacing the rest of the country – we can’t let infrastructure lag behind.

“With ten years for all new cars to be EVs, we need the charging network in place now. Build it and they will come.”

A spokesperson for the mayor of London told the LDRS: “The number of EV charge points across London is steadily climbing and the Mayor will continue supporting delivery partners to meet his target of 40,000 EV charge points across the capital by 2030.

“Sadiq is committed to delivering the infrastructure needed to support the green transition, working together to build a greener and better London for all.”

During a Budget and Performance Committee hearing at City Hall in September, the mayor’s top team insisted he was “on track” to achieve the target.

Electric vehicle uptake has steadily increased in London in the past decade, with the proportion of plug-in vehicles now 6.8 per cent, according to the latest Transport for London (TfL) data. In 2015, the figure was just 0.2%.

Across the UK, more than 15,000 new charging devices were installed in the last year, an increase of 23%.

Decarbonisation minister Keir Mather said: “There’s never been a better time to go electric – charge points are up 23% in a year, and we’re helping drivers save with discounts of up to £3,750 on new electric cars — all part of our Plan for Change.

“We’re also cutting red tape so renters and those without driveways can access affordable home charging, making it easier and cheaper for everyone to make the switch.”

Vicky Read, chief executive, ChargeUK said: “The EV charging industry is pulling out all the stops to help drivers go electric, investing billions of private capital into high-quality charging — supporting the government’s ambitions for growth and decarbonisation in the process.

“The vast majority of EV drivers use the public networks and an increasing number will be wholly reliant on them. Meaning we need the right mix of affordable and easy to access charging at home and at work, on-street, en-route and at destinations to ensure everyone can make the switch.”

There have been some concerns that the ending of current benefits of driving an EV in London, such as avoiding Congestion Charge, will decrease the rate of uptake in future years.

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