Europe's vehicle manufacturers are looking to standardise the method used to charge electric vehicles (EV).
The move comes as the EV market begins to expand across Europe with vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf and Citroen C-Zero starting to appear on dealer forecourts along with rapid charging points.
The move, led by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA has begun with a positioning paper aimed at standardising the type of charging plug used on electric vehicles regardless of make, country or electricity provider. ACEA views the recommendations as not only benefitting Europe, but paving the way for "a harmonised solution around the globe."
EV charging Image: Nissan |
The automakers provide a comprehensive set of recommendations which not only covers the plug-in point for the vehicle itself, but also looks at the charging infrastructure, connection to national grids, charging speeds and electrical current type.
The intention is to create a unique standard for all future EV manufacture which, if agreed, would be implemented across all new electric vehicle types from 2017.
Nissan is already exploiting the success of the European Car of the Year Award-winning Leaf by rapidly expanding its supply network and including on-site fast-charging points for customers. Charging speed is also set to increase in 2012 with the expected release of new, higher-speed technology from Japan and innovations in longer-lasting batteries.