Supply falls behind EV sales appetite and charging stations demand, but infrastructure is set to change.
The UK's largest EV charging network, Chargemaster, is being purchased by BP which has over 1,200 service stations. The key priority is the rollout of an ultra-fast charging infrastructure, including 150kW rapid chargers capable of delivering 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
BP customers in the UK can expect to access BP Chargemaster chargers on forecourts over the next 12 months. The Chargemaster network is better known in the UK as the Polar Network brand.
Globally, EV sales have now passed a record 1 million units in 2017, according to the International Energy Agency's Global EV Outlook 2018. More than half of global sales were in China, where they had a market share of 2.2% in 2017. Global EV stock is expanding rapidly, crossing the 3 million vehicle threshold in 2017.
Chinese automaker Geely has promised to launch 30 new energy models by 2020 as part of its new energy development strategy which includes alternative fuels, fuel cell, pure electric and hybrid technologies.
In Europe, according to ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association there are three key issues relating to post-2020 CO2 targets - safety, affordability of EVs and convenience. In particular, consumers want to know they will be able to charge their EVs. Europe currently has around 100,000 charging stations and will need no less than 2 million by 2030.
The shortfall in charging stations is evident in the UK where there are nine plug-in vehicles for every one charging station, according to a report by Emu Analytics for Alphr. The UK needs a six-fold rise in electric vehicle charging points by 2020 if it wants to keep up with electric car demand, the study has found.
In response, the UK's National Grid is backing a massive infrastructure plan to deploy DC fast-charging stations powered by grid-scale batteries throughout the UK to create a network with a 2 GW capacity. Startup Power Pivot has suggested the installation of 50MW battery systems at 45 sites where they also plan to install up to 100 150kW to 350kW electric vehicle charging stations.
Meanwhile Italian company Nidec ASI has launched a charger which it claims can recharge EVs up to 80% of their capacity in under 15 minutes, with a range of 500km. The solution links to the national grid through charging towers to help simplify and accelerate the electrification process of infrastructures for supplying EVs, and reducing operating costs.
In the US, building stock is basic challenge for Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose goal to produce 5,000 Model 3 vehicles per week by the end of June has led to a report of six aircrafts’ worth of new robots being flown from Europe to California. The company has refused to comment on this rather unorthodox method of supply.
By contrast, India has delayed a deadline to put thousands of EVs on the road by a year, citing one of the reasons as the need for more charging points. State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd., which procures EVs to replace the petrol and diesel vehicles used by government officials, will roll out the first 10,000 vehicles by March 2019. Lubes manufacturer Gulf Oil Lubricants India may manufacture two-wheeler batteries in India. “With electric vehicles coming, we need more batteries. Currently, we are importing the batteries from a manufacturer who makes them globally for BMW,” Ravi Chawla, Managing Director of Gulf Oil Lubricants said.