Mitsubishi i-MiEV Enters London's Transport Fleet

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV has entered London’s vehicle fleet as part of a plan created by Mayor Boris Johnson that is aimed at making the city the electric vehicle capital of Europe.Transport for London, the local government body that handles the city’s transport system has introduced four i-MiEVs into its vehicle fleet.

The EVs have benefited from the Government’s Low Carbon Procurement Programme, being part-founded through the initiative.

The introduction of the four i-MiEVs is the first step to the expansion of Transport for London’s fleet, which is scheduled to receive 1,000 electric vehicles in the next four years.

“Very soon electric vehicles and the apparatus needed to support them will be a common sight on London's streets. We are doing all we can to make it as easy as possible for Londoners to choose electric and by opting for these vehicles in our own fleets, we are helping to stimulate demand and show off their benefits including considerably cheaper running costs," said Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

The Mayor plans to support the widespread adoption of EVs in London in the following years. As part of the measure that will be introduced to convince consumers to turn to eco vehicles, London will receive 1,600 charging stations in the following 12 months, with the number of charging points scheduled to reach 25,000 by 2015.

Another initiative related to London’s EV-friendliness plan is the release of a fuel cell London Cab. The vehicle was presented earlier this month and should enter service by 2012.