Following recent commitments made at the COP26 Climate Summit to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, Michelle Machesney, EV Solutions Director for TSG UK, says it is time for businesses to wake up to the benefits of becoming an EV charging ‘destination’.
The electrification of the transport sector has been widely discussed in recent weeks. Transport is responsible for around one-fifth of global carbon emissions[1] and electric vehicles (EVs) are a cleaner, greener alternative to petrol and diesel power. From passenger cars and buses to HGVs and commercial fleets, electrification will enable our economy to grow, while cutting pollution and carbon emissions.
It was great to see countries and vehicle manufacturers uniting at COP26, with the common goal of phasing out new sales of combustion engine cars by 2040 at the latest. Of course, we have our own targets in the UK and from 2024, manufacturers will be mandated to produce a growing number of EVs year-on-year to expedite the process to 2030.
We need more ‘destinations’
However, increasing the number of EVs on the road is only part of the solution. Cynthia Williams, Ford’s environmental policy manager, said recently “One of the key things we will need to accelerate the electrification revolution is incentives. We need infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure. This is needed to get more people in the vehicles, leaving no one behind.”[2] One of the key factors to successful electrification is EV charging networks – we need more ‘destinations’, chargers and plugs to meet future demand.
By 2030, there will be an estimated 14 million EVs on the road – equivalent to 43% of today’s driving population[3]. EV charging infrastructure is an investment that will ensure facilities can meet the changing needs of their customers. Soon, it will be seen as an essential and basic service; early adopters will gain an edge over their competition, attracting new business through convenience as the market grows.
Owning an EV requires a different mindset. Charging takes much longer than filling the tank so drivers need lots of opportunities to plug in. ‘Destination’ charging – charging overnight at hotels or Airbnbs, or for a few hours at a retail outlet, supermarket or restaurant – makes charging convenient for modern lifestyles and combats ‘range anxiety’.
For workplaces, EV charge points highlight commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and encourage staff to take a greener approach to commuting. With high-power rapid chargers positioned at shopping centres, leisure facilities and workplaces, recharging an EV has the potential to be more convenient than visiting a petrol station.
End-to-end charging solutions
[1] https://ourworldindata.org/travel-carbon-footprint
[2] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/10/what-if-we-just-gave-up-cars-activists-press-cop26-leaders-to-dream-big
[3] https://inews.co.uk/news/electric-car-uk-climate-change-chargers-crucial-to-britain-going-green-but-lack-of-planning-worrying-1283006
The UK has around 27,000 public charge points – a number that has doubled over the past two years – located in 17,000 places throughout the UK. To meet demand, we need 46-50 new public charge points installed every day for the next decade, according to thinktank, New AutoMotive.
The industry is ready to meet this demand – there are companies who are ready to deliver a complete EV charging solution for commercial businesses, from site design and installation through to maintenance and support, ensuring systems are durable and reliable with the ability to scale-up to meet the future needs of the business and its customers.
2030 is not that far away, it is time for destinations to lead the charge from pump to plug.
TSG is a leading provider of ‘end-to-end’ EV charging solutions across the UK. For more information, visit www.tsg-solutions.com/uk/electrical-vehicle-charging/
