Lloyd Bonson, director and senior consultant at ECV Consulting Ltd, explores the barriers preventing EV adoption.
Electric vehicles are the current answer to the ecological problem that has been around for decades. Since the 1970s, emissions legislations have been introduced in various parts of the world, which have seen a reduction in the production of greenhouse gases. There are still issues surrounding climate change and the effects of fossil fuel burning, but there are scientific reports that the tides are turning.
With congested roads a factor in many major cities, can electric vehicles really prove to be the answer? They can. But it does require a change in thinking and for businesses, potentially a complete overhaul of their ways of working.
The lack of infrastructure is seen by many as a barrier to electric vehicle adoption. Add to this concerns about the ability of the National Grid in the UK to cope with influx of vehicles expected to hit the market, and it’s easy to see why there is a hesitation. 2019 saw electric or electrically assisted cars account for 10% of new registrations in UK, and with more electric cars, vans and even trucks promised over the next 24 months, this is a major worry.
Is enough being done to reduce the fear of electrical network capacity? Certainly there have been significant announcements regarding new, renewable power generating sites, and the increase of wind and solar farms across the country would back this up. Whether or not substations are sufficiently equipped for this influx is another issue, and that’s before we look at who pays for the cost of updating outdated hardware.
Can power storage solutions offer an answer to those concerned about peak periods? It is certainly thought so, especially with the increase in smart technologies and connected services. The ability to offer a cost effective, safe and convenient charging solution is a must for anyone considering the switch.
The electrical grid isn’t the only issue in terms of available capacity. As mentioned previously, the public infrastructure is still not at required levels. There are around 10,000 publically available charge points in the UK at present, with plans to double this within the next two years. Whilst the UK petroleum industry states there are only around 8,500 petrol/diesel forecourts, the total number of pumps is estimated to be a little over 62,000 – six times the number of EV charging outlets.
This is without taking into consideration the reduced time to refuel a petrol or diesel vehicle against the recharge time of an EV. There have been reports of electric vehicles queuing for available spaces to recharge at public facilities. Clearly, capacity is soon going to be a problem.
And finally congestion. It’s noticeable that vehicles have become bigger over the last 40 years. Safety legislation such as crumple zones, side impact bars and pedestrian impact safety have all had an influence on car design. Added to this the increase in average adult height, and the rise of the SUV is an easy plot to follow.
The issue with bigger vehicles is that the roads in our towns and cities aren’t getting any bigger to accommodate them. Councils are looking at traffic calming measures such as speed bumps and one-way systems to reduce speeds and control the flow of vehicles – all of which can add to congestion. The obvious answer is to look at smaller vehicles, and some manufactures have focused on inner urban transportation as a way of establishing their foothold in the electric vehicle market.
We all need to be aware of the challenges moving forward, and as long as correct dialogue is maintained between the electrical industry, automotive, consumers and Government; then maximum capacity is nothing to be afraid of.