VW CEO says OMFG about poor EV charging points
Consumers need EV chargers close and abundant for mainstream EV adoption
Plenty of shade from VW CEO
This week Herbert Diess, Volkswagen Group CEO,complained on LinkedIn(in a now-deleted post) about difficulties finding a working plug along the Brenner Pass that links Austria to Italy.
He wrote:
VW partly owns Ionity. Not a great experience, being called out by your investors publicly! Oof.
UK MP reluctant to embrace EV charging vehicles
But it’s not only CEOs complaining. Also this week, Conservative UK MP Michael Fabricant saidhe wouldn’t drive an electric carciting charging times and range anxiety. He notes that battery tech is evolving and said
It’s hardly comforting thoughts from a member of a government pledging to cut carbon emissions.
Why are people suspicious of EVs?
Earlier this year, research in the UK EV charger retailermyengerifound that 36% of Brits surveyed wouldn’t consider purchasing an EV due to a perceived lack of charging points. Worse, 10% even admitted to being ‘scared’ of charging. Are they scared of being electrocuted? Clearly, there’s a need for better public education.
Jordan Brompton, co-founder, and CMO of myenergitoldElectrical times:
It’s hardly an EV desert
TheUK is home to more EV charging pointsthan petrol stations (23,000, according to the good folks at Zap-Map). Further, the need for charging is not as great as a lot of people think. Most people drive short distances, such as to and from work or to the store, not for hundreds of miles at a time.
The reality is that EV charging stations are growing exponentially, especially across Europe. The Netherlands began installing public EV charging stations in 2012.Currently, there are more than 75,000 public charging stations,and over 190,000 Dutch people charging their cars home. Germany has overpublic 44,000 charging stations, andFrance over 30,000.
Retailers are offering EV charging stations, a great way to bring customers back to bricks-and-mortar shopping.Radisson Hotels plans to offer EV charging to their customersat all their European hotels by 2025. London recently launched a first-of-its-kindEV charging system that sits flush within the pavement.
The EV charging in the US is another story
Mobilyze.ai recently published a report aboutaccess to EV charging in the US. It found that just under 10% of those living in the top 50 US cities live within a five-minute walk from a public EV charger, with the highest number of chargers, unsurprisingly, in San Francisco. However, the research also estimates that the US has 30,000–90,000 fewer chargers than it should, given the number of EVs on the roads. The US currently has 104,000 public chargers. No one wants to sit in their carwaiting for a free charger, blocking the bay.
Fortunately, Biden’s push for EVs to be 50% of vehicle sales by 2030 includes a commitment in the $1 trillion infrastructure bill (currently awaiting passage by the House of Reps) dedicating $7.5 billion to expand the US’s EV charger network to 500,000.
Mobilyze.ai noted the need for incorporating EV charges into existing public structures like parking lots and retail malls, rather than simply creating stand-alone charging stations. It’s a practice that makes a lot of sense, especially in improving the customer experience.
Story byCate Lawrence
Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart ci(show all)Cate Lawrence is an Australian tech journo living in Berlin. She focuses on all things mobility: ebikes, autonomous vehicles, VTOL, smart cities, and the future of alternative energy sources like electric batteries, solar, and hydrogen.
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