With the global rise of e-mobility, building and maintaining charging infrastructure are essential. Here are the six key takeaways for advancing e-mobility infrastructure, taking cues from diverse markets and the industry's shifting demands, as discussed by our CEO Jörg Heuer in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA.
Germany's charging infrastructure faces unique challenges due to the early adoption of various technological standards and the slower pace of infrastructure replacement. Unlike vehicles, charging stations are not frequently updated, leading to a situation where older infrastructure may not effectively support newer electric vehicles. The shift from early standards, like the Chademo connectors, to more widely accepted standards, such as CCS, highlights the need for sustainable infrastructure development. Ensuring that the infrastructure can efficiently serve both current and future generations of vehicles is critical for long-term success.
India has benefited from starting its e-mobility journey later than Germany, allowing it to bypass the initial learning curve and focus directly on the rapid deployment of advanced fast-charging infrastructure. While Germany had to navigate through various technological standards and slower infrastructure development starting in 2012, India can leverage established global standards like CCS and focus on scalability. By adopting a standardized model for building charging infrastructure, India can quickly and efficiently scale up its e-mobility ecosystem, a strategy that companies like EcoG are actively supporting.
However, India's initial reliance on low-cost, non-updatable chargers imported from China has led to issues, with about 20% of these chargers becoming obsolete and unused. Nevertheless, India remains a model by focusing on DC fast charging, mobile-integrated payment solutions, and efficient infrastructure development, providing insights for countries like Germany. By adhering to global e-mobility standards, India has avoided early technological issues. The emphasis on DC fast charging and mobile payment integration improves scalability and user experience, offering lessons in efficient e-mobility infrastructure development.
The current e-mobility payment and billing landscape is complex, lacking transparency and consistency, especially in price visibility during EV charging. While improvements like roaming have reduced the need for multiple charging cards, confusion persists due to varying payment methods and obscure pricing. This issue is paradoxical, particularly in regulated environments like Germany, where precision is key in other sectors.
To advance the e-mobility sector, a unified, transparent billing system is necessary, along with a standardized, updatable approach to charging infrastructure for scalability and long-term functionality. These complex systems cause user confusion, lacking clear price visibility despite strict regulations elsewhere. Stronger regulations are needed for clear price displays at charging stations. Thus, standardization and update capability are crucial for scalable, future-proof charging infrastructure.
The key to rapidly developing a sustainable charging infrastructure is making stations upgradeable. Without this, there's a risk of "charging corpses" –obsolete, unused stations cluttering streets. This issue is emerging as early infrastructure can't be updated. For example, Tritium has invested significantly, highlighting the need for infrastructure that evolves with technology and market demands. Neglecting this could turn these stations into "monuments" of an outdated e-mobility phase, underutilized and neglected.
EcoG understands the need for sustainable and updateable charging infrastructure. While some manufacturers currently rely on subsidizing updates through new business due to high growth rates, this approach is not viable long-term, especially as growth normalizes by 2030. Operators must recognize the importance of contractual obligations for ongoing updates and execute appropriate compensation. Without this foresight, charging infrastructure risks becoming outdated and ineffective, undermining the broader goal of e-mobility expansion.
EcoG and its partners are integral to developing charging stations and supporting a growing ecosystem of over 120 international companies, including component suppliers and contract manufacturers. This ecosystem accelerates the charger development process, allowing customers to focus on unique and well-integrated products. It shows that former market leaders may no longer hold the same dominant position, as new unique selling points become critical in determining market leadership in the charging infrastructure sector.
The future of e-mobility depends on developing and maintaining a robust, scalable, and updateable charging infrastructure. By learning from countries like India and China and fostering an innovative ecosystem, the industry can overcome current challenges and pave the way for a sustainable and efficient e-mobility future. As the market evolves, stakeholders must prioritize standardization, updateability, and collaboration to ensure the long-term success of e-mobility infrastructure worldwide.
Read more about the interview with IPPEN.MEDIA on Focus Online and Münchner Merkur.
EcoG is a global IP and tech company working on the rapid expansion of sustainable charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. With its charge controllers, reference designs and software, it enables companies to get products & services to market quickly and scale profitably.
EcoG is already the market leader in Europe with more than 15% market share and a strong footprint in the Indian and North American markets. Overall, EcoG grew four times faster than the market last year. Industrial giants such as Siemens or one of the world’s largest service station equipment suppliers are among its customers. The company continues to grow in 2024 and as a next step invests 14,4M$ in its North American HQ in the USA.