Redbridge becomes first London borough to pilot wireless EV charging

Redbridge Council has become the first London borough to offer residents wireless EV charging.

The scheme is being led by the EV charging company Char.gy, which was awarded over £2.3m by the Department for Transport earlier this month to develop the project as part of a £37m investment in ‘transforming’ electric charging infrastructure.

Redbridge, one of the Outer London boroughs, has partnered with parts of Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes to trial the scheme, which works by installing induction pads on the undersides of electric cars.

These induction pads align with pads buried beneath the surfaces of roads, passing electricity to the car and allowing it to charge cable-free.

Some residents have been offered the option of having the pads installed for free, while the pads have also been fitted into EVs used by a local car club.

Redbridge Council leader Cllr Jas Athwal said: ‘We are facing a climate emergency and switching to electric vehicles is one way we can help reduce emissions and save the planet.

‘Our children deserve to grow up with clean air and healthy lungs and schemes like this can make a huge difference to levels of air pollution.

‘We’re determined to be the front-runners for improving air quality to ensure Redbridge is one of the cleanest and greenest boroughs in London.’

Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford, Redbridge. Redbridge council has become the first London borough to offer residents wireless EV charging.

‘Reducing air pollution is a top priority for our residents, so we’re delighted to be working with Char.gy on this pilot scheme,’ added Cllr John Howard, Redbridge council’s cabinet member for civic pride.

‘The project shares our commitment to improving the environment and making it easier for drivers to swap diesel and petrol cars for more eco-friendly versions.’

Redbridge is one of London’s most pioneering boroughs in trying to tackle air pollution after it became one of the first of the capital’s boroughs to install a public rapid charge point for EVs.

The council also led the way in offering EV-owning residents free parking permits for controlled parking zones.

Photo Credit – Sunil060902