In some respects the numbers seem pretty insignificant, but the precedent is a real positive one. The people see electric vehicles, jump in an electric black cab or Uber, the more normalised Ev's become. The more conversations are had and the more people hopefully tempted to test drive a PHEV or BEV.
Of course it is also significant that the grid improvements happen, both as a test-bed for future upgrades and other cities, and also so that the subject of infrastructure, and the need to rapidly improve, decentralise and use energy storage becomes better known and understood.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced an £18 million electric vehicle (EV) scheme which will see hundreds of fast chargers deployed throughout the city by 2020 following grid enforcement work to accommodate the strain. A range of project partners have already been appointed to a supplier framework and will move quickly with the aim of installing 75 charging points by the end of 2017. TfL plans to see the rapid charging network double by the end of the following year and grow to 300 by 2020. TfL is working with the boroughs and investing £18million to unlock potential sites, including upgrading the power supply. It is also working with the relevant DNOs, UK Power Networks and SSE, to ensure that that rapid charging will not adversely impact on the grid.