We will require many more locations to charge electric cars if they are ever to become widely used.
Locating charging locations where people will truly use them is crucial. The obvious place is along the curb, but there, chargers have to share space with wheelchair users, walkers, and other users.
Repurposing already-existing infrastructure is one way to solve the problem without clogging up the built environment more.
If electric vehicles are ever to become commonplace, a great number of additional charging stations will be needed.
It’s important to find charging stations where people will really utilize them. The most obvious location is at the curb, but there, chargers must coexist with pedestrians, wheelchair users, and other users.
Repurposing current infrastructure is one approach to address the issue without adding to the built environment’s congestion.
Lamppost charging is also provided by the Dutch business CityCharge, although they use a different model that necessitates the installation of new wires. Aluminum poles are used by CityCharge in place of traditional lighting poles.
These have stylish black boxes housing the charger and payment terminal.
Costs per pole, excluding installation, range from €3,000 to €4,000.
The CEO of CityCharge, Heimen Visser, admits that this is a little more costly than other on-street chargers. However, he feels that this is basically a 2-for-1 offering, meaning that charging and lighting for the pole can be done simultaneously.
Towns and cities can be equipped with a large number of non-rapid chargers thanks to lamppost charging. Both the CityCharge and SimpleCharge models have a maximum power of 22kW, which is quicker than slow overnight chargers but not as quick as rapid chargers.
They are also capable of working around the clock.
But according to Mr. Markots, they are more likely to be used at night when the lamps are on in areas with older infrastructure.
The Shell-owned business Ubiquity has been incorporating EV charging capabilities into its designed bollards as well as lampposts. Its lampposts and bollards provide charging at a standard 5kW rate.
Certain EV charging firms have been working hard on the design to make chargers that are either discreet or even aesthetically pleasing.
This covers ground-based chargers, such as pop-up chargers that can return to their original position in the pavement when not in use.
Scottish startup Trojan Energy makes chargers that appear from the outside to be tiny manhole covers because they rest level with the sidewalk. It’s unlikely that most onlookers would even notice them.
The manufacturer has conferred with disability organisations to guarantee that the chargers pose no risks to individuals with disabilities such as impaired vision or mobility.
In order to reduce reliance on street parking for cars living on residential streets without driveways, Trojan Energy has been collaborating with the municipalities of North London to locate hubs of six to fifteen charging points. “Our solution is ideal for terraced houses with rows upon rows of housing,” explains Sarah Clements, head of business development at Trojan Energy.
To utilize a Trojan Energy charging station, users require a specific attachment called a lance, which weighs 2.7 kg. Through the lance, billing is automatically completed. Therefore, the ease of plug-and-play charging may outweigh the possible annoyance of carrying about an extra device.
Naturally, it takes time to open the street, complete the electrical and civil work, and then repair the pavement. For every hub, installation takes roughly two weeks.
BT Group intends to transform outdated green street cabinets into charging stations in the interim.
Traditionally, phone and internet cables have been kept in these metal cabinets, but many of them are nearing the end of their useful lives.
Scotland is about to embark on a pilot initiative, and according to BT, eventually up to 60,000 cabinets might be transformed.
An alternative method of saving space emphasizes adaptability over stationary spots on the current pavements. In locations such as airport parking lots, where it would be absurd to leave a car plugged in for several weeks while the driver is away, mobile chargers are being tested.
Bolt-ee, a small, ultra-rapid charger that can deliver up to 300kW of DC power to charge a car in minutes, was recently developed by the UK business Nyobolt. Though it is heavier, CEO and co-founder of Nyobolt Sai Shivareddy compares the size of this smartphone to that of a suitcase.
One Bolt-ee variant is wheeled and somewhat autonomous, allowing it to roam around and get to a car in need of a short boost of power.
Achieving total autonomy would be difficult. Bolt-ee still requires a human operator to insert the cable into the vehicle at this time. According to Mr. Shivareddy, “getting an arm that goes into the charge point location is a big challenge.”
Hyundai, a car manufacturer, has created an automated charging robot. Its robotic arm uses an AI algorithm in conjunction with a 3D camera to direct the charging cable into the port. But for the time being, the robot’s arm moves while the base remains stationary.
All things considered, vehicles wouldn’t have to compete for parking spaces next to a fixed charger thanks to the mobility of a mobile charger.
According to Mr. Shivareddy, mobile technology can also be helpful in rescue situations, preventing the need to pull a car that has run out of fuel.
Additionally, mobile chargers may be able to alleviate some of the disparities in the current charger placement, which is primarily along highways and in affluent areas of cities, depending on how they are implemented.
The Bolt-ee battery lasts more than 10,000 cycles, according to Nyobolt. Mr. Shivareddy claims that Bolt-ee is more cost-effective per kW than alternative chargers.
According to Liana Cipcigan, a professor of transport electrification and smart grids at Cardiff University’s School of Engineering, fully mobile charging may be helpful for individuals with impairments.
According to Prof. Cipcigan, mobile charging robots aren’t yet likely to be profitable.
Safety is another issue with mobile chargers. Prof. Cipcigan states, “Moving these batteries could be dangerous.”
Regarding fire hazards, Mr. Shivareddy notes that Bolt-ee was meticulously engineered by Nyobolt to be incredibly efficient and produce very little waste heat.
To address the increasing demand, none of these options will be enough on their own. Bollards and lampposts are insufficient. Robotic mobile charging might stay specialized. Furthermore, in areas like Los Angeles where pavement is frequently scant or in poor condition, pavement-embedded chargers will not work well.
However, when combined, these creative, room-saving ideas will accelerate the EV revolution.
In the EV charging sector, as Prof. Cipcigan notes, there is a lot of room for innovation, and smaller and younger businesses “could make an interesting impact on this very complex landscape”.