Tuesday 19 April 2011. The Green Piece Column.
Making electric cars mainstream isn’t solely reliant on car manufacturers producing the vehicles – it also needs suitable infrastructure to be in place. However, what does it take for a city to truly be “electric car ready?”
Last week, Ford released a list of 25 cities in the USA that are deemed to be leading the way with electric vehicle readiness (see article) – and the list proves that it takes far more than charge point installations to be prepared.
City slickers
The 25 cities deemed to be ready for the influx of electric cars are: Atlanta, GA; Austin, TX; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Charlotte, NC; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Detroit, MI; Hartford, CT; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; Indianapolis, IN; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; Portland, OR; Raleigh, NC; Richmond, VA; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco Bay Area; CA; Seattle, WA; and Washington, DC.
However, according to Ford, there is a need to go far beyond charge point installations alone. The company’s vehicle electrification and infrastructure manager Mike Tinksey believes that the main focus is on the approach to installing charging stations; and the processes and programmes that are in place to help knock down the barriers to adoption.
Variety
Ford believes that the barriers to electric vehicle adoption vary based on the location. For example, it points to San Francisco as a clear leader among the top 25 cities in terms of offering discounted electricity rates for off-peak or night-time charging that could help electric cars make a significant breakthrough. However, by contrast, a city like Seattle does not need to place such emphasis on discounted rates because it offers an abundance of hydro-power and this keeps electricity relatively inexpensive anyway.
One area that was deemed important irrespective of the city being considered was the issue of private charging. This includes the availability of online permit applications and assurance that inspections will be completed within a reasonable amount of time with most electric car drivers expected to charge their vehicles at home for the foreseeable future.
Another area of consideration is public charging points being made available at workplaces and corporate campuses as these will provide an important alternative for urban dwellers that don’t have a parking spot or garage at home. Public charging is expected to be used relatively infrequently with public and private fleets relying on centralised depot charging. As such, Ford wants to see an urban planning approach to public charging infrastructure as well as the incorporation of charging points and signs into the city landscape to maximise their use at each location.
Other manufacturers
Of course, Ford is not the only car manufacturer to analyse electric vehicle readiness. However, it seems that each car manufacturer has different priorities and a unique perspective on what makes a city ready for electric vehicles depending on their own vehicle designs and strategies.
For example, Ford has designed the Ford Focus Electric with a large onboard charger that can charge at home in less than three hours. As such, the company is endorsing larger charging stations and a larger gauge wire to accommodate it, as well as a separate outlet for diagnosis in case there is a malfunction.
The company has also paid attention to confidential data such as hybrid sales.
However, for the most part it seems that all manufacturers have common ground when it comes to their expectations for a city to be electric vehicle ready. For example, they all want plugs that can fit every car and they want charge point locations to be easy to identify with vehicle navigation systems.
Our verdict – A more considered approach needed
Perhaps the most telling remark from Mike Tinksey, is that even the cities listed in its top 25 are not electric car ready – they are just on the right path.
The reality is that it’s simply not enough for a city to commit to introducing a certain volume of electric car charging points by a predetermined date. Yes, the more electric charging points the better in order to reduce range anxiety, but with budgets still relatively limited it is vital that a considered approach is taken to where these charging points are placed and how they will prospectively be used.
Currently customers have a number of stumbling blocks when it comes to buying electric cars – price and range being the most obvious two. Offering incentives to drive down the price of electricity for anyone that is charging their vehicle at night; placing public charging points in convenient locations; and offering price reductions on private charging are just some of the steps that can be taken to usher in the electric era a little faster.
Ford and other manufacturers can carry out all the studies they want; but until governments are willing to back this research with serious and considered investment in electric vehicle infrastructure we’ll still be wondering when these vehicles will be realistically available to more than just a privileged few.
Faye Sunderland.
