'Blue City' London to begin in January with ten EVs for short-term hire

A new electric car-sharing scheme is to begin in London from January 2016. The Bollore Group plans to replicate an initiative which is already established in Paris with 3600 'Autolib' electric cars available for short-term use across the city. Ten vehicles will initially be introduced to London, the launch having been delayed by complications involving the securing of cooperation between local authorities and the state of London's electric car charging network.

 

The Daily Telegraph reports that a subsidiary of the Bollore conglomerate, BluepointLondon, last year acquired Source London, which was meant to provide a coherent network for emissions-free motoring but fell into disrepair amid arguments over who was responsible for maintenance. BluepointLondon has since spent more than £10m reinstating and expanding the network to 1,000 charging points.

 

The London electric car scheme, which has been branded BlueCity, is reported to be ready to enter customer trials from January. It will expand to up to 40 cars by mid-February and by the summer it aims to have 100 of the distinctive vehicles on London’s roads.

 

Detailed pricing is yet to be decided but it is understood rates of around £5 per half hour rental are under discussion.

The Bollore conglomerate has committed to sinking as much as £100m into the scheme, with no plans to profit directly. Its early aim is to encourage the use of electric vehicles and establish charging infrastructure. The company has already invested heavily in battery manufacture.

 

The London Autolib initiative was a featured at the LowCVP Conference in 2014 and 2015. The scheme has the potential to popularise EV ownership and use by making the vehicles highly visible, easy and cheap to use across the city.