UK: Siemens & Ubitricity to deliver lamp post charging

Siemens and Berlin-based Ubitricity have been selected to help London improve EV charging infrastructure by retrofitting street lamps. They are 2 of 8 organisations in the Go-ultra Low City Scheme through which London expects to deliver 1,150 charge points by the end of 2020.

The Go-ultra Low City Scheme framework contract provides £3.7 million to help deliver charging points across London boroughs. The initiative is hosted by Transport for London (TfL), London Councils and the Greater London Authority.

Siemens and Ubitricity are to provide on street electric vehicle charging solutions to the British capital. The two companies are one of four providers turning street lights into EV charging points.

Siemens here serves as longstanding partner to Tfl and will be using Ubitricity’s mobile electricity metering technology. Knut Hechtfischer, the founder of ubitricity describes the partnership: “By working with Siemens to deliver our technology this (easy EV charging) is now becoming a reality for all Londoners. If we want to improve the air quality in London, electric vehicle charging must be available to all, whether you happen to park on-street or off-street.”

Ubitricity technology means drivers would park next to the street lamp and ideally connect to it using a special cable. This cable is fitted with a meter, which 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. For customers using a standard cable, charging will be authorised through a mobile site.

It is not the first gig for Ubitricity in the UK capital. The startup has been working with London’s Chelsea and Kensington district reportedly and has allegedly played a part in Wandsworth EV charging infrastructure campaign (we reported). Ubitricity retrofitted the first London lamppost with charge points in 2016, and now has around 300 charging points across London.

It takes less than hour to convert a street lamp, a fraction of the time to install a separate charging station.

The Go-ultra Low City scheme is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles. The project is aiming to help London boroughs to deliver 1,150 charge points by the end of 2020.

siemens.co.uk (PI)