London’s ULEZ could be let down by EV production

In London, roughly 3,600 to 4,100 deaths were estimated to be attributable to air pollution, according to the leading research university Imperial College London. As such, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, enacted the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) on 8 April 2019. The zone currently covers all areas within the North and South Circular Roads. The North Circular (A406) and South Circular (A205) roads are not in the zone.

The ULEZ emission standard applies to cars, motorbikes, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including five tonnes). Those that do not meet the standard will need to pay a £12.50 (US$15) daily charge to drive inside the zone. Now, Khan is looking to extend the zones to all London boroughs, which he says will save 27,000 tonnes of CO2 in outer London—nearly double what the central London ULEZ achieved in its first year of operation. “We need to get the most highly polluting vehicles off our roads, damaging the health of all Londoners, including drivers,” said Khan.