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All private hire vehicles licensed for the first time by TfL will be required to be zero emission capable.
The previous requirement that came into force at the start of 2020 was that all vehicles under 18 months old and licensed for the first time had to be zero emission capable. This has led to 25% of all private hire vehicles now picking up passengers in London meeting these standards, with a number of the larger operators committing to having an all-electric fleet by 2025.
More than 6,000 black cabs – more than 40% of those in London – are now capable of not producing any emissions at their exhausts.
London has more than 11,000 places to plug in, with 820 of those being fast or ultra rapid charging points. Rapid charge points can deliver a full charge in 20-30 minutes and are therefore most suitable for high mileage users, such as the emergency services, taxis and private hire vehicles, delivery drivers and local businesses.
To help accelerate the number of rapid charging sites, TfL has made its land available for the construction of a further 100 points by the end of 2023. London’s Electric Vehicle Delivery Plan has identified that 40,000 to 60,000 charging points will need to be built by 2030, with 10% rapid. The capital is on track to meet this target, including a plan to free up public land to accommodate 1,000 of the 4,000 faster charging points needed.
Helen Chapman, TfL’s Director of Licensing and Regulation, said:
The taxi and private hire trade has embraced electric vehicles in recent years, with thousands already being used to pick up passengers from all corners of the capital. Toxic air in London is a public health emergency and this new requirement will act as a catalyst in significantly further reducing toxic emissions and carbon dioxide, which is a major contributor to global warming.
Drivers will benefit from London’s extensive charging network when needing somewhere to plug in, with more than 11,000 points across the city and close to 1,000 of those allowing a top up in 30 minutes or less. The switch to electric will also mean cheaper fuel costs when compared with petrol or diesel.
We know that with the boom in electric vehicles, many more charging sites will be needed. London is on track to meet these projections, which we are supporting by making public land available and ensuring the fast charging points a world city needs are being built at pace and in significant numbers.
