The Electric Vehicle Recharging Infrastructure ReportAutomotive WorldDecember 1, 2010 51 Pages - SKU: DGFQ6066322 |
| This report reviews the current state of the global EV recharging infrastructure and the plans that are already in place to substantially extend it. The drivers and barriers that are influencing the development of the infrastructure are examined and available market forecasts presented. A review of a few key enabling technologies is also included.
With battery-only electric vehicles (EVs), range-extended and plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles at the point of entering the market in mass-production volumes, the need for a comprehensive battery recharging infrastructure is becoming urgent. While several trial projects worldwide have already established sufficient recharging points for the EVs involved, these are typically confined to a metropolitan area or other small region, limiting the range of battery-powered journeys to that locality. However, many municipalities, utilities, OEMs and a growing list of recharging equipment suppliers are now addressing themselves to the issue and launching substantial installation projects worldwide. The background drivers for the fledgling recharging infrastructure are essentially those driving the development of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and include regulations requiring reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) and toxic emission by the transportation sector, and concerns regarding energy security, the life expectancy of global oil reserves and the volatile price of transportation fuel. In turn, these factors have prompted governments at federal, state and municipal levels to offer incentives to OEMs and consumers in order to stimulate a shift towards vehicles that emit lower volumes of greenhouse gases and reduce the demand on oil resources. Although the current cost of electricity as a transportation fuel makes it an appealing option, battery technologies, and hence EVs, remain expensive and the realistic electric-only driving range available between battery recharges is very limited when compared to what consumers are used to from conventional vehicles. Compounding this, the time required to recharge an EV battery is still considerably longer than consumers are used to when refuelling with gasoline or diesel. Some of the barriers to establishing a global recharging infrastructure, such as determining charger, plug and socket standards, will be relatively easily overcome but others, such as the environmental impact of recharging a growing global fleet of battery-powered vehicles from carbon-intensive electricity generation sources, present enormous challenges. |
