Government needs to rethink its approach to electric vehicle charging

Fleet companies and taxis firms are turning their back on electric vehicles. Sales of EVs are slowing down and even Japanese car giant Toyota has stated that electric vehicles will never account for more than 30% of the market. If Government-backed net-zero emissions targets are to be reached then a new charging infrastructure approach is required.

Whilst the expense of repairs and high insurance costs are proving a barrier to the uptake of low emission electric vehicles, a more fundamental problem is the continued inadequacy of the UK electric car charging network. There are only some 60,000 charging points to serve over 900,000 electric vehicles (EV). As charging an EV can take anything from 30 minutes to 10 hours - depending upon the battery size, milage between charges and the power rating of the charger – the high demand for the limited available charging points often results in significant queues, driver frustration and range anxiety over concerns of reaching the next available charging point.

This is having a negative impact upon the Government’s ambitions that by 2030 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in the UK should have zero emissions. This target is to increase to 100% by 2035. The inadequate charging infrastructure means that these targets may not be met as drivers and fleet owners prove increasingly reluctant to switch from petrol and hybrid to fully electric.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has reported that the UK market share of electric cars went into reverse in 2023 as drivers baulked at high prices and the lack of charge points. EVs’ share of the new car market fell from 16.6% in 2022 to 16.5% last year. That compares to a forecasted figure of 17.2%. Meanwhile, Toyota Chairman, Akio Toyoda, has said that electric vehicles would only ever command a market share of 30% and that alternative technologies need to be developed. The concern of car markers over the falling demands for EVs is underlined by the Government’s zero emission vehicle mandate whereby they will face fines if they fail to hit sales of pure EV targets which amount to 22% in 2024, 28% in 2025, 53% in 2028 and 80% by 2030.

Their concern is not helped by news that taxi and car firms are turning their back on EVs. Due to range anxiety and lack of charging points, Addison Lee has abandoned its pledge to reach zero emission by 2030 and is replacing its EV fleet with petrol vehicles. Hertz has announced it is to sell-off 20,000 electric cars and buy petrol and diesel cars instead, while Uber has reported that it is struggling to get drivers to adopt EVs in the numbers that it expected.

“The lack of charging points, range anxiety and excessive charging times means that the Government plans for zero emission motoring is going into reverse”, said Joe Quirke, Chairman of Britpave, the infrastructure industry association. “If the zero emission ambitions are to be met then a new approach to vehicle charging is needed.”

Quirke points to the potential of concrete eRoads that allows EVs to charge are they pass over them. A number of concrete eRoad solutions are being trialled in the USA, Europe and Australia.

Concrete eRoads allow vehicle batteries to be charged inductively via wireless systems using magnetic coils installed in the road surface that feed an electric charge to magnetic coils fitted on a vehicle’s undercarriage and so charge the battery. Other developments include mixing graphene or magnetic ferrite particles into the concrete to make the road surface itself conductive.

“The long-term strength and performance of concrete makes it the better option for such roads as, unlike asphalt, they would not need regular maintenance, are far less prone to pot holes and in hot summers do not melt. Road surface potholes and melting could dislodge and compromise the embedded coils,” explained Quirke.

He continued: “If the zero emission potential for EVs is to be realised then there must be a ready and easily available charging supply. Concrete eRoads could provide such a supply. The Government needs to rethink its approach and examine the potential of concrete eRoad alternatives to chargers.”