Currently reading: Boris outlines electric vision

Mayor tells Seoul conference the UK will be electric leaders

Boris Johnson has outlined his plans to turn Britain into the "electric car capital of Europe".

The scheme is expected to cost £60 million and work is due to start on charging points at Tube stations by the end of the year.

There are also plans to put refuelling facilities at car parks, offices and shopping centres.

The mayor made the announcement to mayors from other leading world cities at a climate change conference in the South Korean capital, Seoul.

The scheme is funded by the GLA, the government and the private sector, and is designed to cut carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2025.

The mayor said that all new developments with more than five parking spaces will have to provide charging facilities for a fifth of their capacity.

It is hoped that there will be 25,000 charging points across London by 2015, which will serve 100,000 electric vehicles.

He said: "London has today launched a comprehensive plan to make the UK the electric vehicle capital of Europe.

"Car manufacturers are gearing up to make electric vehicles a common choice for consumers in just a few years' time.

"City leaders across the world must rise to the challenge of creating the right conditions to support their usage."

There will be "slow charging points" for overnight charging and "rapid charging points" at petrol stations, he promised.

Add a comment…