Why This Matters
Transport is one of the UK’s largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions (circa 30%), making its decarbonisation critical to achieving net zero. Success depends not just on the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs), but on ensuring chargepoints are delivered in the right places, at the right time, and accessible to all road users. At City Science, we support this transition end-to-end – from developing high-level strategies, to guiding on-the-ground delivery and tackling harder-to-decarbonise vehicles.
Laying the Foundations – Southwark EV Strategy
Most local authorities now have EV strategies in place, setting out a vision for how chargepoints should be deployed. We partnered with Southwark Council to co-develop this strategic vision for EV chargepoint rollout from 2023 to 2030. By combining policy reviews, demographic analysis, infrastructure mapping, and EV uptake forecasting, we produced 12 key recommendations to guide delivery. As part of this, we modelled walking distances to chargepoints, helping the Council visualise accessibility across different neighbourhoods and identify where provision needed to improve. You can interactively explore key outputs of the work here.
From Strategy to Delivery – Walsall EV Implementation Plan
A strategy is only the first step – the real challenge is getting chargepoints in the ground. In Walsall, we developed an Implementation Plan that builds on the Council’s Chargepoint Strategy. The plan explores at a more granular level the best locations for on-street and council-owned chargepoints, while also exploring revenue potential and funding opportunities. Crucially, it ensures good representation across all wards, supporting equitable access for residents and businesses alike.
Supporting Heavy Vehicle Decarbonisation – East Midlands Superhub
As local charging networks expand, attention must also turn to harder-to-decarbonise vehicles. In the East Midlands, we supported the development of a Strategic Outline Case for a clean energy refuelling superhub, designed to enhance the availability and distribution of sustainable options for HGVs and other large vehicles. Our evidence base combined demand forecasting, financial modelling and strategic site analysis to ensure the proposal was both commercially viable and aligned with wider regional priorities.
Integrated Energy Planning
A successful EV rollout doesn’t stop at transport – it must also account for energy demand. Substation capacity and grid readiness are among the biggest concerns for local authorities, and we embed energy planning into all our projects. From forecasting demand to engaging with district network operators, we ensure that chargepoint delivery is realistic, sustainable, and aligned with wider energy system planning.
Driving the Transition
By combining strategic vision with practical delivery and energy expertise, City Science helps local authorities and partners accelerate the EV transition – ensuring it is equitable, efficient, and future-ready. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help deliver EV infrastructure in your area, get in touch with us today.