The majority of London motorists would consider the availability of on-street EV charging if moving home in the next five years, a new poll has revealed.

EV charging availability is a factor for six in 10 Londoners when looking to move house

The study, carried out among more than 1,000 residents in the capital by charging network Zest, found that EV charging availability is a factor for six in 10 Londoners when looking to move house.

By comparison, only a third of residents surveyed said they would not consider electric car charging options if looking to move.

The poll looked at London drivers due to the high demand for public charging infrastructure across the capital, as a result of a lack of driveways and private parking facilities where EV drivers can install their own private chargers.

But Zest said the findings are applicable in general to city dwellers without driveways and show they are considering public charging options much sooner than most may believe.

And the charging specialist said the figures bring into sharp focus the need for London boroughs, and other cities in the UK, to keep rolling out new infrastructure over the next five years as millions begin to transition their vehicles to electric, and particularly in a part of the country where off-street domestic charging is rare.

Zest is on a mission to make the shift to EV a realistic option for everyone by accelerating access to abundant, convenient, and reliable charging.

The company is backed by the government-sponsored Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF) and presently has active partnerships with several local authorities across London and the country, including Hackney Council, Durham Council, Warrington Council, and Brent Council – as well as a partnership with Transport for London.

Robin Heap, founder and CEO of Zest, remarked: “Many London councils are already surging ahead deploying thousands of on-street electric car chargers for residents. What our poll reveals is that we need to keep that momentum up and build it out to other boroughs, because the demand is clearly there from Londoners who are looking to move house over the next five years.

“It is worth remembering, by installing on-street chargers, we do not just make it easier for London motorists to switch to EV, but in turn all residents end up benefiting from quieter streets and cleaner air, which is particularly important in cities like London.”