Engine is set to open a new EV rapid charging hub in London, the first of its kind in the capital with six 50 kW chargers installed at Stratford International Station.
The site is the first of at least five hubs to be rolled-out in London in the coming years, as Transport for London (TfL) aims to tackle air quality in the city. Plans are to install 300 rapid chargers by the end of 2020. Engine’s hub is in partnership with TfL, and part of London’s EV infrastructure delivery plans.
Chargers at the hub will be compatible with any EV on the road, and offer completely open usage thanks to contactless bank card / smartphone payment and access. There are also no parking fees for those using the charge points.
Christina Calderato, TfL’s Head of Transport Strategy and Planning, said: “For those that need to charge up in 20-30 minutes, London is one of the leading world cities for rapid charge points. The addition of the east hub in Stratford is the first super charging facility, allowing drivers easy access and convenient methods of payment.”
Ian Johnston, CEO of Engenie, said: “London is trailblazing the EV revolution and actively working to deliver cleaner air for its nine million residents. This rapid charging hub is a significant step change in the crucial infrastructure needed to serve the accelerating number of electric vehicles across the city.”
The site is the first open-access rapid charging hub in London. Zap-Map’s database shows there is a taxi-only hub at Heathrow, and a Tesla Supercharger station at Westfield White City, but both of these have restricted access to EVs other than taxis and Tesla models respectively. At the time of going to press, there are no other hubs in the capital with six rapid chargers or more.
The hub will be open to the public, and TfL has part funded the hub with Engenie subsidising the site to cover parking fees. The hub opens on 28th December 2019, and will appear on Zap-Map as soon as it goes live thanks to Engenie’s dynamic data partnership.
