Hackney will be among the first boroughs in the UK to take part in a pioneering electric vehicles (EV) trial that could save drivers hundreds of pounds each year.
The project will see 30 public on-street smart chargers installed in Hackney, cutting costs by as much as 50% for people who do not have driveways.
Smart metering allows EVs to schedule charging at times when energy prices are cheapest, such as overnight when demand is low, or on sunny days when solar energy is abundant, with drivers downloading an app to charge as they go.
The trial will run in the borough from September 2021 until May 2022, after which the 30 chargers will be passed to the council, providing much needed on-street EV charging infrastructure.
Commenting, Hackney Council’s Cabinet Member for Energy, Waste, Transport and Public Realm, Councillor Mete Coban said:
“Providing equal access to affordable electric vehicle charging across Hackney is a key part of our plan to rebuild a greener Hackney.
“Our vision is for the borough to be greener, with more trees and wildlife, healthier, with more of us walking, cycling and taking public transport and cleaner, with better air quality.
“This scheme offers a fantastic opportunity for businesses and residents to have access to charging infrastructure that could save them hundreds of pounds every year.
“This is crucial as we move closer to the 2030 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.”
Electric vehicle ownership is increasing, with Hackney registrations up 91% in 2020 compared to 2019.
However, households in Hackney without off-street parking have to rely on the public charging network to charge EVs.
In the borough, there are 124 charging points, with funding and plans in place to bring its total to 296 by the end of 2021.
The council hopes to have 3,000 charge points in Hackney by 2030 through partnerships with outside contractors.
People are urged to apply to take part in the Agile Streets project and a selection process will take place to ensure applicants live and/or work in Hackney.
The Agile Streets project is delivered by a consortium made up of Connected Kerb, Energy Saving Trust, Octopus Energy for Business, the Power Networks Demonstration Centre (PNDC), Samsung Research and SMETS Design Limited respectively.
It is funded by £1.5m from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
PSE will be hosting a Public Sector Decarbonisation event on 9 September. Join us for the full day event by registering here.
