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The global electric vehicle charging infrastructure market is projected to reach a value between $27-49 billion by 2027. The industry has taken off in recent years as the electrification of automobiles continues. Many factors are driving the rapid growth of this industry. However, the EV charging sector does have challenges to face and overcome.
We spoke with one of our leading EV charging and EV charging manufacturing professionals to get their thoughts and analysis on some of the major questions on the industry. Dive into what they had to say below.
EV Charging and Fleet Electrification Expert: There are fewer barriers than people think. For your average driver who has the ability to charge their electric vehicle (EV) at home, driving an EV is more convenient than stopping off at a petrol station. You simply plug in when you arrive home and when you come to the vehicle in the morning it is fully charged, typically giving you around 200 miles of range. Naturally, there is a percentage of people who can not charge at home because they are in a terraced house with no off-road parking or a flat without their own parking space. For these people, they will be reliant on public charging locations. In recent years, the scale of new public charging installations and infrastructure has increased significantly. The main barrier is a lack of education to the general public about how charging works and how often you will need to charge your vehicle.
EV Charging and Fleet Electrification Expert: Yes. Almost every motorway service station across the country provides access to super-chargers which, dependent on the vehicle, can charge to a full battery in around half an hour, giving the driver the ideal amount of time to have a rest stop. Companies such as Gridserve are currently building numerous EV charging forecourts across the UK to give more access to charging in key strategic locations. As well as this, similar installations are taking place in city centre locations giving EV drivers the option to charge quickly wherever they go.
EV Charging and Fleet Electrification Expert: Investments are needed into the DNO’s and national grid to speed up their response times when dealing with enquiries and arranging supply upgrades where required. At the moment, the emphasis is on private organisations installing the infrastructure and chargers. Whilst there is some government funding available, the government needs to lead by example and do more directly to facilitate the installation of public charging stations.
EV Charging and Fleet Electrification Expert: The main challenge will be the cost. For your average person, purchasing an electric vehicle and then installing an EV charger at home is simply unaffordable. Whilst many people probably like the idea of driving electric and that it is doing their bit to save the environment. Ultimately, if it is going to cost them more a vast amount initially to transition to electric, then they may well not do it until they have to. The costs of transitioning are simply too high for most of the population. But, the costs of EVs and chargers is reducing over time.
EV Charging and Fleet Electrification Expert: As far as policies go I think the available government funding is fair and will continue to incentivise businesses to install charging infrastructure and electrify their fleets. Equally, the Ultra Low Emissions Zones (ULEZ) are a good policy to speed up the transition to being fully electric in key city-centre locations. Whilst the financial incentives are in place, there is still a distinct lack of information available to the general public about EV charging. If the government want the general public to transition to EV’s then they need to educate them on areas such as charging times, costs, charger types and the many benefits of driving an electric car. Providing more knowledge and information will help reduce some of the anxieties people have about owning an EV and give them the confidence to make the transition.
Engage with a Pangea SI EV Charging Manufacturing Expert to help you overcome challenges and achieve high project standards.
