Utility Week

Special report: EVs UTILITY WEEK | 25TH -31ST MAY 2018 | 15 "It is important to get multi-sector convergence working to accelerate EV adoption and infrastructure." l Yunus Ozler, partner – energy, EY "EVs are a very important and active theme of our work. The stance we try to take on it is a whole-systems perspective." l Eric Brown, director of innovation, Energy Systems Catapult "We need a consistent view on bat- tery range and types of charging. There is no clear approach at the moment, there is no clear strategy." l Jonathan Murray, policy and operations director, Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership "A question for the larger operators is: am I going to charge at my own facility? And have I got enough power?" l Phil Hack, head of markets, UK Power Networks Services "Sales need to be pretty aggressive if we are going to meet our emis- sions targets. We need more than just a market-led approach. We need a real push. Today, electric vehicles represent just 2 per cent of sales. That's not enough." l Samuel Pachoud, senior manager – advisory, EY "By 2025, BMW will have 25 electri- fied vehicles… We will keep the die- sel. Everybody says diesel is dead. Dirty diesel is dead, but clean diesel is still here… To say everything will be electric would be naïve." l Hannah Bishop, BMWi & iPerformance national corporate sales manager, BMW UK 1. The challenges of adopting EVs extend beyond the expense of buying the vehicles. Fleet managers are cau- tious about adopting fully-electric fleets while charging infra- structure is limited in terms of size and location. 2. The incompat- ibility of charging infrastructure needs to be addressed, ideally through col- laboration between providers. 3. A lack of accessi- ble on-the-go charg- ing is unlikely to halt uptake. 4. The tipping point for EVs will likely come when battery prices fall far enough to make them cheaper to drive than those with an internal combustion engine. 5. A "whole-systems" approach is needed to ensure the ben- efits of EVs are realised, and the challenges overcome. Key points the-go chargers is unlikely to be a significant roadblock to the mass adoption of electric vehicles in the medium term. Because most vehicles are used primarily for shorter com- mutes, most charging will take place either at home or at work, especially as the range of electric vehicles increases. High upfront cost The real barrier to uptake, delegates sug- gested, is the upfront cost of electric vehicles. The tipping point will come when battery prices fall far enough to achieve cost parity between electric vehicles and those with an internal combustion engine. The running costs of EVs are already significantly lower, and the vehicles themselves are generally easier to maintain than a traditional vehicle. Charge points will also need maintain- ing, and it is imperative they are reliable. More joined-up thinking is needed, and col- laboration when it comes to installing charge points, to ensure they can be used by the maximum number of people. There is also a challenge when it comes to the slightly different set of skills needed to drive EVs. They require an alteration to the driver's lifestyle, as well as a differ- ent thought process. Employees need to be incentivised to treat their vehicles properly and, in order to make sure they get the most out of them, training is required. Fleet man- agers suggested it should it be the duty of EV manufacturers to provide an induction course as part of the package. Elsewhere in the room, in the Energy Systems Catapult group, delegates agreed a whole-systems approach to the issue of decarbonisation was needed. Eric Brown, director of innovation, Energy Systems Cata- pult, highlighted the importance of avoiding "silos" and insisted the industry "must con- sider all the institutions, policies and prac- tices that enable the development of services for consumers". "It's not just about electricity. There's also gas, hydrogen and so on. There are a number of players emerging from other domains," he said. "We'd argue that in order to respond effectively to not only the challenges which we care about, but also the underlying stuff that's been created, we need to have a much more inclusive whole-system way." A wide range of views were expressed at Accelerate – but one thing was clear: what- ever one's thinking on the future of EVs, there was universal agreement that the tip- ping point is within touching distance. The decisions made today on this critical issue will determine businesses' future. Brought to you in association with

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