Craving for Electric Cars

Innovation is all over Amsterdam. During last week’s AVERE E-Mobility Conference and Innovation Expo, we’ve witnessed an open exchange of data and insights from tech leaders, educators and policy makers that will foster the development and growth of innovations, ranging from bio-based food, to electric mobility.

Though sustainable tech and alternative fuels have been much buzzed-about for the last couple of years, this time it felt different. It seems like the world has now built up an appetite for electric mobility. Let’s take a look at what’s new.

EV Charging Policies

Maarten Steinbuch, professor at TU Eindhoven, once again demonstrated one of his great calculations, which confirmed that the notion to sell only full-electric cars by 2025, is plausible. It just requires political willingness… While others believe that it will take longer for The Netherlands to pull this off, everyone agreed that the train of mass EV adoption won’t be stopping anymore.

For large municipalities, electric cars have become an actual must. Smog, pollution and emissions are seen as the biggest health issues for cities, and the main cause for cities to invest in sustainable mobility. Once the city supports electric cars with supplying the right infrastructure, and incentives for EV drivers, it will be more attractive for car manufacturers to contribute to the availability of EVs.

According to reports from Prof. Joeri van Mierlo (University of Brussels), the EU will have an additional 1 million EV-related jobs in 2030. This given alone, should be enough reason for governments to invest in the EV market.

Interoperable EV Charging Infrastructure

During AEC 2016, speakers seem to agree on 3 key features that every EV charging infrastructure needs to carry out: 1. Easy to find, 2. Easy to access and to pay for and 3. Interoperability between systems and towards users. At the end of the road though, EV drivers just need to be able to charge. Sufficient number of charging facilities remains crucial to EV adoption.

Cities will invest if it has access to the right products for the right price. In France, 90% of the charging happens on private grounds. For large cities like Amsterdam, home charging is basically public charging, as its citizens don’t have enough space to install a charger on their own properties. Oslo has a public parking garage fully dedicated to EVs! Not a strange thing to have for a country that holds a whopping 30% of EV share. Although most supporting finance for EVs in Norway is coming from oil export, the country operates integrated programs that not just subsidizes EVs, but also grants privileges to EV drivers, and maintains green transport policies for the city centres.

Future EV Charging

AEC’s technology session felt like a Battle of the Scientists. According to Prof. Maarten Steinbuch, EVs will have a range between 400 and max 700km until 2022. After that, it’ll increase much more. However, due to the complexity and lengthy development time of batteries, next-gen batteries will make their appearance after 2025.

In Japan, Nissan is now working on a so-called V2H (vehicle to home), where the will supply the home with energy and vice versa. sometimes you can charge your car with a carport. Though peak hours may be an issue, mass adoption of V2G or V2H solutions are not even needed - peak shaving and energy storage are the ways to go, according to Nissan.

Public charging infrastructure is exploring solutions to overcapacity of charging facilities throughout major cities. One of the most promising propositions is Inductive Charging. Prof. Pavo Baur (TU Delft) has already set his heart on this technology. He envisions a future in which 30% of all traffic lights are equipped with induction plates, that allow cars to be charged wirelessly.  This would mean that you no longer need to wait for charging spots in the city - you’ll just simply wait for the traffic lights to turn green again.

Other highlights during last week’s events were Dutch Formule E-Team’s signing of the new National Green Deal, as well as MoUs between governmental and commercial parties. Click here for more information.

Key Takeaways

• Inductive charging and autonomous driving are clearly stealing the spotlights in mobility innovation these days.
• Sustainability sells like hot cakes. Sure it’s a good-doer for the planet and economy, but now everyone wants a piece of it.
• The Netherlands is impressively well-developed in sustainable efforts.
• EV has reached its momentum - it’s no longer rocket science. We had a good start and now we’re officially in need of more EVs, more infrastructure, more interoperability, and more collaborations. We’re craving for electric cars!

Curious for more?

Our CEO @kristofcloud spoke in a keynote about the benefits of EV charging for every driver and business. Take a look at the slides here.

We’re social!