Hackney Council’s new electric car club pilot with Zipcar and Zest Charging is offering 15 new electric vehicles (EVs) and 70 new on-street fast chargers across the borough.
The local authority has launched the club through more than £1m in combined funding from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Pilot Fund and EV charging operator Zest.
It comes as just 35% of Hackney households own a car, with the borough aiming to lead in promoting cleaner, more sustainable alternatives.
The new initiative will help ensure residents can access vehicles when needed without the costs or environmental impacts of owning one.
Under the pilot the 15 EVs will be deployed by Zipcar, with more to come, and 70 on-street sockets in 35 locations. Each location includes two parking bays: one for public EV charging, and one for electric car club use.
The dedicated EV car club bays will be installed in every ward of Hackney, providing equitable distribution and access. Zipcar has also partnered with Zero Emissions Network to offer local businesses free membership for the first year plus further benefits.
The project supports Hackney’s goal to have 300 car club vehicles by 2026 with at least 50% being EVs. With petrol and diesel vehicle sales ending in 2030, the council believes such car clubs offer an “affordable, inclusive way for residents to get familiar with EVs without the burden of ownership or hidden costs”, it said.
Sarah Young, Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport:
“Shared electric vehicles are a win-win: they reduce air pollution and support equity for residents by adding to the affordable transport options, and support people who want to live car-free. This pilot is an important step in making sustainable transport the easy choice in Hackney.
James Taylor, General Manager, Zipcar UK, said:
“We are delighted to be trialling Zipcar UKs very first dedicated in-bay charging for shared electric cars with Hackney Council and Zest. Moving to electric vehicles is a crucial part of our long-term strategy, and vital for the health of our city and our planet. We’re looking forward to enabling members and Hackney residents to be part of this positive change.”
Robin Heap, CEO, Zest, said:
“We’re proud to partner with Hackney Council and Zipcar to deliver this industry leading initiative that makes access to electric vehicles convenient and equitable for the whole community.
“By combining reliable EV charging infrastructure with shared EV access, we’re building a future where greener transport is available to everyone—not just those who own a car.”
Lilian Greenwood MP, Minister for the Future of Roads, said:
“Hackney’s new electric car club pilot – supported by our Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure pilot fund – is a brilliant initiative that provides residents with the comfort and flexibility of easily renting a car – whilst being zero emission and helping roll out new fast-chargers across the borough.
“This comes as this Government is providing £2.3bn to help industry and consumers make a supported switch to EVs, delivering our Plan for Change by driving investment and creating jobs to put money in people’s pockets and secure our future.”
Image courtesy of Hackney LBC
