London has always been a pioneer in transport innovation – from the first underground railway to the early rollout of ticketless travel. Now, it is leading the race to electrify road transport. EVs make up more than a third of new car registrations in the city, and London alone hosts 30% of the UK’s public charging points. But despite this early success, the pace of change is slowing, and the goal of a fair, city-wide transition is at risk. This is a threat to London’s global leadership and the progress of cities who look to it for guidance.
The removal of the Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) at the end of 2025 is a looming flashpoint. The CVD has been a key driver of EV adoption and cleaner air across the city, helping thousands of drivers – including key workers, delivery fleets and private hire vehicles – make the switch. Without it, EV drivers could face up to £5,000 a year in new costs, threatening to undo years of air quality gains and risking an 11% rise in nitrogen oxides across central London.
Our new report, Electric London, highlights the opportunity for City Hall to maintain London’s leadership. It suggests that to ensure strong EV uptake beyond 2025, City Hall should begin by initiating a public consultation on extending the CVD before the summer. Additionally, the report proposes exploring a new ‘right to charge’ law to guarantee fairer access to low-cost home charging across all boroughs, alongside a Transport for London scorecard to hold boroughs accountable for infrastructure delivery.