Independent research by Dodona Analytics reveals electric charger sharing is essential to support the UK’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
According to their research, if only 4% of motorists with a home charger share it with their neighbours living in flats and terraced houses where they can’t have their own charger, then a successful transition to EVs can be achieved – but without it we face a shortfall or ‘charger chasm’ of over 250,000 chargers.
A growing number of companies facilitate EV charge point sharing via apps. The app connects the ‘host’ or charger owner with motorists who would like to rent their charger and will handle the ‘matchmaking’, bookings and payments. Co Charger connects communities to share chargers within neighbourhoods whilst other apps offer ‘destination charging’ as an alternative to public and motorway charging on long journeys.
In their white paper Will the EV charge point roll-out put the brakes on cleaner transport? Dodona Analytics have created a model which shows the relationship between projected supply and demand for public EV charge points between 2021 and 2030.
The projected demand for EV charge points is based on the assumption that the number of electric vehicles in the UK will continue to grow exponentially until it reaches 9 million in 2030 reports the National Grid.
However the installation of new charging points is not keeping pace with the EV market. In the last 3 years 7469 new public charge points were installed each year (source: Zap-Map) Dodona Analytics modelled the scenario where there were 10,000 new charge points every year, reaching 133,642 in 2030.
Policy Exchange, the UK’s leading Think Tank in its report Charging Up predicted that the UK will need public 400,000 chargers by 2030 in addition to home chargers.
The public chargers are needed primarily for motorists in flats and terraces who aren’t able to charge at home. But even motorists with home chargers will need them when making longer journeys
Dodona Analytics predict that the current rate of charger installation will leave a shortfall of over 266,6353 chargers. ‘Our research shows there is a wide gap between the future demand for and the current availability of charge points,’ says Stefan Furlan, CEO of Dodona Analytics. ‘In order to overcome the Charger Gap our paper recommends the following. Firstly a data driven approach to site selection and infrastructure deployment, secondly the sharing of home and workplace chargers and thirdly cross-industry collaboration.’ Joel Teague, CEO of Co Charger says, ‘The paper is a real breath of fresh air and thinking in a complex space that has perhaps been a little over-focused on existing EV drivers and new infrastructure. “The UK’s public charger building scheme is ambitious, well-organised and well-funded, but as this paper shows, further access to chargers is needed to help motorists in flats and terraces make the transition. “Charge point sharing is a quick, cheap, and self-scaling solution – as EV ownership rises, more home charge points will become available, which can then be shared with neighbours, enabling them to enjoy the benefits of owning an EV and a cleaner, greener neighbourhood’. However whilst there are already 35,000 public chargers in the UK, this is a fraction of the number of home chargers – estimated to be at least 300,000.” Ben Nelmes, Head of Policy at independent transport research organisation NewAutomotive says, ‘People who live in flats and terraces need confidence in local and reliable access to charging before they can make the switch to an EV. To have a rapid and early transition to EVs we need to use every tool in the box. “This means more data-driven decisions about where to put public charge points and also incentive for charge sharing schemes, which have huge potential to improve people’s ability to charge up their EVs where and when they need to.’ |
One in four UK drivers plan to opt for a hybrid car as their next vehicle purchase, according to research conducted for Close Brothers Motor Finance’s upcoming Britain Under the Bonnet Report. The fifth report reveals that the desire to purchase a hybrid vehicle has accelerated from 21% in 2020. And this is largely stable across age groups, but highest at 28% for those aged 25-34. The research found that just one in five (22%) drivers will purchase a petrol vehicle – down massively from 37% last year. This comes as more car manufacturers announce their intentions to end production of petrol and diesel engine vehicles in line with the Government’s 2030 ban. However, confusion over engine type sees one in seven (14%) still undecided about their next vehicle – rising to almost one in five (18%) for those aged 55+. When it comes to electric cars, 13% will choose plug-in electric, and 12% battery electric. Diesel continues to decline in popularity with just 8% stating they’ll choose a diesel car – down from 12% in 2020. The research also looked at what features consumers want from their chosen vehicle. Price is the main driver across all vehicle types at 48%, followed by how economical it is to run at 47%, and the impact on the environment (40%). Seán Kemple, Managing Director of Close Brothers Motor Finance, said, “The news headlines have been fuelled by manufacturers making bold claims about their plans for a greener future, with Jaguar Land Rover and Ford being just some of the latest cars makers to confirm the end of petrol and diesel models. “Throw into the mix the Government’s ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars being brought forward to 2030, it’s no surprise motorists are turning away from these engine types, and as our research shows, opting for hybrid models instead. |