London Will Become Europe’s Electric Car Capital, Mayor Vows

Speaking to a gathering of mayors in Copenhagen, London Mayor Boris Johnson announced plans to add 25,000 charging stations for electric cars across the city by 2015, turning London into a center of plug-in vehicle technology. By creating the right conditions, Johnson said the city can encourage a “golden era” of electric cars, and he predicted that every resident will be within a mile of a charging point. Johnson said the challenge of reducing carbon emissions is urgent, but should not require “hair-shirt abstinence.” London officials, who face multimillion-pound EU fines if they are unable to improve the city’s air quality, will launch an online website next year to explain the payment options for electric car owners, and plan to begin adding the new stations within two years. The plan calls for the installation of 22,500 charging stations at businesses citywide, 500 charging points on city streets, and another 2,000 in public garages and parking lots. Johnson said the city will also purchase 1,000 electric cars for its Greater London Authority. He made clear, however, that the plans will require government funding.