Managed car and courier service Addison Lee has called for urgent investment in London’s public charging network, after data from the introduction of the first EVs showed issues with the capital’s charging infrastructure.
Since the first Volkswagen ID.4s were introduced into the fleet on 22 November – the start of its transition to a fully-electric fleet by 2023 – Addison Lee’s data has revealed “insufficiency, inefficiency, and inconsistency” in the capital’s public charging network.
According to a survey conducted among the first drivers of the Addison Lee’s EVs, 93% of drivers have not found it easy to locate rapid charging points through the public network. Drivers revealed that rapid chargers are often broken or damaged (57%), while over a third (37%) said that it can take them over 30 minutes to locate a rapid charger.
The operator added without the right support, these issues pose a challenge to the PHV and taxi industry’s adoption of EVs, and its ability to positively contribute to the mayor of London’s 2030 net zero carbon target.
Addison Lee has therefore offered to share its data and learnings from its transition to help tackle these varying infrastructure challenges. The firm is also supporting the drivers it works with through home charging, partnering with JustPark and Octopus Energy earlier in the year to provide a solution to drivers who don’t have access to on-street, viable charging.
The electrification of Addison Lee’s full 4,000 vehicle fleet by 2023 will remove an estimated 20,000 tonnes of CO2 from London’s roads each year. Addison Lee said it will also continue to offset journeys that take place in its non-electric fleet.
Liam Griffin, CEO of Addison Lee, said: “COP26 was a clear reminder of the responsibility every business has to reduce its carbon output and tackle the climate crisis. By pledging to electrify by 2023 we are playing our part in reducing carbon emissions and improving air quality in the capital. But our commitment is not enough. To meet London’s 2030 net zero carbon target, every fleet operating in London needs to transition to electric as quickly as possible.
“To achieve this requires urgent investment in London’s public charging network. Our experience of our EV rollout so far has highlighted the huge infrastructure challenge we face as a city. Unless we can work together to fix this, we will never reduce carbon emissions to an acceptable level in the capital. Addison Lee is ready to come to the table and share its own data and learnings to help overcome barriers to electrification for all business fleets in London.”
