The first stage of an electric vehicle charging partnership with Islington Council was launched yesterday as part of the north London borough’s push to reduce harmful air pollution.

Islington Council has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030 and estimates that it could cut 1,400 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from local air pollution every year by electrifying its 500+ fleet.

As part of the effort to do this, the council has teamed up with Moixa, the developer of smart battery and electric vehicle (EV) charging software, and Honda to deliver a smart EV charging project.

The project involves five bi-directional vehicle-to-grid (V2G) chargers, manufactured by EVTEC and Honda, being installed with Moixa’s GridShare software outside Islington town hall.

The system charges the EV batteries when power on the local network is cheapest and cleanest, and discharges power from the car batteries when it is most expensive and carbon intensive.

When electric vehicles are plugged in to all of the chargers, the smart technology can provide enough power to cover the whole town hall base load.

‘We’re working to ensure our residents have clean air to breathe, while also saving money that can be spent on delivering essential services for the people of Islington,’ said Cllr Rowena Champion, Islington Council’s executive member for environment and transport.

‘We’re working with industry leaders – Honda and Moixa – to electrify our fleet in the most effective way for our residents and acting as a pioneer for others to follow.’

‘The EV revolution will put millions of “batteries on wheels” on our roads in the next decade,’ said Chris Wright, Moixa’s chief technology officer.

‘By using AI-driven charging technology, we can intelligently manage these fleets of batteries, securing lowest-cost charging and highest-impact carbon savings.’ The smart charging solution can be scaled up and applied to all local authorities and businesses with large vehicle fleets, such as logistics companies and utilities, according to Moixa.

There are 4,844 council-managed vehicles in London alone, 90% of which are diesel.

‘Our project with Honda and Islington shows what is possible and provides a blueprint for all large organisations to follow,’ Mr Wright added.