Electric Vehicles will transform the transport industry, but not until we solve how to charge them
Guest post by Soolmaz Moshiri, Technology Manager, Group Technology & Innovation at National Grid. National Grid is sponsoring the Electric Vehicles Challenge in the Mayor of London’s Civic Innovation Challenge.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are not a fad or gimmick, they are already beginning to transform the transport industry. According to government climate advisors, the majority of cars and vans should be electric by 2030. The reality is we have to get the right infrastructure in place to drive uptake in vehicle sales and future proof the electric vehicle charging network.
Supporting take up of EVs and charging infrastructure is one of the top priorities in the UK government. The Clean Growth Strategy lays out government’s plans to support transitioning to low carbon transport in the UK. Policies range from ending the sale of the majority of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 to working with and supporting both private and public sector to lead the way in innovation and facilitating the uptake of EVs (the government’s commitment to reducing transport emissions will be further clarified in the ‘Road to Zero’ strategy which is expected to be published this summer).
Sales in electric vehicles have been growing over the last 10 years. Currently there are around 12,000 electric vehicles in London, which is ten times as many as in 2012. However, the demand for electric vehicles is outstripping the number of charge points. Consumers also have concerns about the range of electric car batteries for long distance journeys as well as the availability and accessibility of public charge points. According to Transport for London (TfL), 60% of Londoners do not have their own garage or driveway and will therefore rely on on-street charging.
A robust electric charging infrastructure is needed across the UK, everywhere from home chargers to on-street, destinations (offices, supermarkets, hotels, etc.), and motorways. As technology evolves and costs gradually decrease, public and private project developers need to identify and invest in the right solutions, driven by better understanding of consumers’ habits such as location, time, and duration of charging points.
National Grid is looking for new opportunities to enable the deployment of a UK EV charging infrastructure and to develop new services to companies wishing to provide charging solutions to consumers. We understand that in this journey collaboration with large and small players in the public and private sector is crucial. We are determined to support and make best use of innovative solutions, sharing our knowledge and skills with innovators and learn from the culture and agile working processes within SMEs and startups. This is why we have partnered with the Mayor of London Civic Innovation Challenge to access innovative ideas that can accelerate the uptake of EVs and charging infrastructure in London. We are looking forward to working with startups and SMEs to develop sustainable solutions for charging electric vehicles.
If you have an innovative solution for EV charging apply here by July 8th for the Mayor of London Civic Innovation Challenge.
