Source London
Source London is a network of electric vehicle charging points in London.
Charging points are located in residential streets, public car parks, at supermarkets, shopping centres and similar places. Use of a Source London branded charging point requires registration with the network's website and the payment of an annual fee of £48 per vehicle. Users are required to pay the annual subscription (also payable in monthly instalments of £4/month) along with 3.6p/min for each charging session on their modern chargers.[1] Registered members are issued with a card that is swiped on the charging point's card reader to permit charging an unlimited number of times.[2]
Backing and funding
[edit]In April 2009, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson announced an ambition to install 25,000 electric vehicle charging points.[3] On 6 November 2010, Johnson, announced the establishment of a network of electric vehicle charging points.[4]
The network was launched on 27 May 2011.[5] It was the first citywide network in London It initially provided 150 charging points across the capital, increasing the total number of charging points from 250 to 400.[6] At the time of the initial launch, there were plans to expand coverage to 1,300 charging points by 2013.[6] In 2018, 850 charging points were available with a further 180 planned for installation by 2019.[7] In 2020, 1,600 charging points were available.[8]
Source London was originally a Transport for London-led consortium of public and private sector organizations.[9] The IT infrastructure was developed by Siemens.[10] The network is partly funded by Scottish and Southern Energy and National Car Parks.[2] Other organisations involved include Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, Asda, Capital Shopping Centres, Sainsbury's, IKEA, Whittington Hospital, Enterprise Rent-a-Car and London Underground.[2] The Department for Transport provided £9.3 million 50% match funding for the development of the network's infrastructure.[11] The subscription fee for the scheme was originally an annual flat-rate £100 per vehicle, without any additional fees.[5][12] By 2021, the network had changed to a mode of charging roughly £40 for a full charge, with three boroughs having a higher fee than the other boroughs.[13]
Bolloré's IER subsidiary took over the management of the Source London charging network from Transport for London in 2014.[14] Most of the actual charge points are still owned by the boroughs and business owners, and it is still their responsibility to fix faults.[15] In January 2021, the majority shareholder changed from Bolloré's IER subsidiary to Total UK Limited.[8]
Source London planned for its expansion to be achieved, in part, by integrating existing charging points previously operated independently by London Borough councils. By September 2011 13 boroughs had joined the scheme.[16] By 2016, 16 boroughs had joined the scheme.[17]
Source London received funding from the Department for Transport's Office for Low Emission Vehicles with the aim of developing a national charging point network.[18]
Maintenance
[edit]In 2014 it was reported that Source London's network, formed by taking on operational responsibility for various borough's charging points, had problems with chargepoints being out of action.[19] In 2015, Source London sought to take over control of maintenance of the network from the individual boroughs.[20]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Source London web site, Membership details". Retrieved 9 April 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Mayor switches on new electric vehicle scheme". Transport for London. Transport for London. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ↑ Morris, Nigel (9 April 2009). "Mayor unveils plan to turn London into 'electric car capital of Europe'". The Independent. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "London outlines EV ambitions". The Independent. 10 November 2010. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- 1 2 "London electric car-charging scheme launched". BBC News. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- 1 2 Vaughan, Adam (26 May 2011). "Electric car capital race hots up as London adds charging points". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "'Electrified market streets' coming to Hackney as council unveils plans for 180 more charging points by 2019". Hackney Citizen. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- 1 2 Seymour, Tom (30 September 2020). "Total acquires Source London EV charging network". Fleet News. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Middleton, Natalie (16 May 2013). "TfL looks for private investor to develop Source London EV network". Fleet World. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Bottom, Hannah (15 February 2011). "London begins work on electic vehicle charging points". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "Greater London Authority Group". Source London. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ↑ "London Mayor switches on new electric vehicle charging scheme". Fleet World. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Middleton, Natalie (17 February 2021). "Vast differences in UK public charging costs revealed". Fleet World. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "French billionaire takes on London's electric car market". CNBC News. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Vaughan, Adam (25 August 2021) [2018-09-09]. "London councils accused of holding up rollout of electric car charging points". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "Mayor announces Olympic Park electric charging network, creating air quality legacy". Transport for London. 8 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ Moran, Mark (27 September 2016). "Source London EV network members will have to pay monthly fee and pay-as-you-go". TransportXtra. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "Free charging points to support EV research". Parking Network. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
- ↑ "London's electric car infrastructure falling into ruin", The Telegraph, 24 October 2014. Accessed 15 October 2015
- ↑ Sharman Sharman, Andy (6 February 2015). "Power struggle stalls London's electric cars". Financial Times. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
