Siemens has partnered with electric vehicle charging solutions provider ubitricity to transform hundreds of London’s street lamps into new on street chargers.
The company was one of eight to win a place on a city-wide framework contract hosted by Transport for London (TfL), the Greater London Authority and London Councils.
It will work with the Berlin-based company to deliver ‘Smart City’ EV charging points, which use mobile electricity metering technology to allow existing street lights to share electricity supply with an EV charge point.
Ubitricity charging post demonstrator at CENEX show (Image: T. Larkum)
Drivers connect to it using a cable fitted with a meter that identifies the charging point and turns on the power. The data is sent digitally to a mobile power supplier who would bill for the electricity consumed, while those using a standard cable would be authorised through a mobile site.
Both the boroughs of Wandsworth and Kensington and Chelsea have committed used lamp post charging in their EV infrastructure schemes to overcome the lack of on street parking facilities in the capital.
Chris Beadsworth, director at Siemens Energy Management, said: “By using existing infrastructure, it will provide a quality, convenient and simple charging point to help accelerate the increase in privately owned electric vehicles. Our aim is that charging your car should be as simple as charging your phone.
“Working together with our partners we make a cleaner more modern energy network a reality whilst delivering benefits for UK consumers without compromise.”
Read more: Current News