ACEA, the trade body representing European auto manufacturers, has produced a set of recommendations to standardize the charging of plug-in electric vehicles.
Standardization of the connection between the electricity grid and plug-in electric vehicles is one of the prerequisites to help e-mobility gain a viable market share. At present, a variety of solutions is used, leading to a fragmentation of the market across Europe and abroad.
The industry recommendations cover the whole link between the public charging infrastructure and the vehicle inlet including the communication between the two, and they address both slow and fast charging with direct or alternate current. As soon as approved by the relevant standardization bodies, vehicle manufacturers will start integrating the uniform application in their production cycles. The auto industry advocates the full implementation for new vehicles types from 2017.
A unique standard for electric vehicle charging will benefit all parties involved: the auto industry, the consumer and the infrastructure provider.
Most stakeholders assume a realistic market share for electric vehicles in the range of 3 to 10% of new sales by 2020 to 2025, depending on how quickly the most immediate challenges can be addressed.
“This is a major step towards the broader introduction of electric vehicles in Europe and paves the way for a harmonized solution around the globe”, said Ivan Hodac, Secretary General of ACEA, the automobile manufacturers’ trade association. “We call on the European Commission, the standardization bodies and the infrastructure providers to adopt these recommendations and to clear remaining issues as soon as possible.”
“Standardization provides predictability to investors; it enables economy of scale and reduces costs. We have also ensured a solution that meets the highest safety standards and is easy to use”, said Hodac.
