Automakers face threats to EV sales: slow charging times | Business

Detroit (AP) - In order for the auto industry to be successful, that electric cars will soon dominate the road, we have to overcome the main reasons why many still avoid electric cars. Point B

Automakers have tried to address these concerns by developing electric vehicles that go further and fill up faster on a single charge. The problem is, most public charging stations are now taking too long to charge their cars, and it takes hours instead of minutes to get enough power for long journeys.

Concerned that such long waits may discourage potential electric vehicle buyers and stick with gasoline vehicles, automakers have reduced charging times from 5 minutes to almost 10 minutes with conventional gasoline. I'm trying to shorten it.

Brett Smith, technology director of the Automobile Research Institute, an industry think tank, said, “It hasn't happened yet, but it's one of the factors driving the needle into a competitive car for many, and it enables fast recharge. ”

Most modern generation electric cars have a range of around 300 miles on a single charge and can draw electricity much faster than previous models. In fact, it's so fast that most charging stations are not yet ready for the vehicle's advanced technology.

Most stations run on household-like AC power, so it can take several hours to fully charge an electric vehicle. In contrast, DC fast charging stations are hours faster. However, they can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.

Biden's government needs to consider the high cost of developing incentives to encourage businesses and governments to build 500,000 charging stations by 2030. Includes quick chargers along the highway and in the community. Details are being worked out as the government negotiates infrastructure plans with key members of Congress.

Of the around 42,000 public charging stations in the US, only around 5,000 are DC fast chargers, according to the Department of Energy. The rest is like a home charger. It takes about 8 hours to fully charge the long-range battery. This is a longer time than anyone would want to load a vehicle on a car trip.

And while most quick chargers take around an hour to charge an average electric vehicle to 80%, they can only deliver around 50 kW per hour.

"This is one of the major hurdles for those who do not already own a battery-powered electric vehicle," said Alex Tripi, marketing director for Volvo's electric vehicles. "It will take a while."

Due to technological limitations, early electric vehicles charge extremely quickly compared to modern models. For example, when the Nissan LEAF was first launched more than 10 years ago, the quick charger output was only 50 kilowatts per hour. That means it took 30 minutes to charge up to 80% of a small battery.

The new long-range version, released in 2019, almost triples the range on a single charge. The fast charger can consume 100 kilowatts of power which can reach 80% (181 miles) in 45 minutes.

The new electric car can be charged even faster. However, they far exceed the capacity of most fast chargers. Ford's Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning can consume 150 kW per hour. The Ioniq 5 from Hyundai and the Taycan from Porsche have over 200 kW.

Hyundai has a range of 300 miles and can be charged from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes. This is pretty close to a full gas tank. (Automakers tend to estimate charge time to be 80% of battery capacity because it takes time to go from 80% to 100%. The last 20% can be slowed down to extend battery life. Ioniq can often be filled faster , says it is ready for the future as more and more fast chargers become available.

"Hopefully, we hope that the infrastructure in the United States will be improved to make this much more doable," said Jonghyun, senior manager of product planning.

With its own private charging network with 25,000 plugs, Tesla leads almost all automakers worldwide. The new charger can do up to 250 kW and 175 miles in about 15 minutes.

Electrify America, a charging network funded with money from Volkswagen paid as a penalty for emissions fraud scandals, says it is ready for a new electric vehicle. We operate more than 600 stations with 2,600 plugs across Germany. All of them can deliver 150 kW. This means that a typical electric vehicle with a range of 300 miles can be charged to 80% (240 miles) of battery capacity in about 45 minutes. Electrify America adds a 350 kW station that can be charged twice as fast.

Quickly charging up to 80% of the battery capacity varies from state to state, but typically costs around $ 16.

Even Tesla owners with access to the largest fast charging network in the country run the risk of losing energy, especially on road trips in rural areas. On Monday, one such driver, Dan Nelson, stopped at a Tesla station near Ann Arbor, Michigan for more than 20 minutes with enough cargo to reach a country house 25 miles away. Had to confirm.

"There's no doubt it can be improved," said Nelson, who charges at home most of the time.

Bruce Westlake, chairman of the East Michigan Electric Vehicle Association, suggested that such fears tend to subside as people get used to electric vehicles. He said that the battery capacity extends the charging intervals while driving. He said he could comfortably use two Tesla cars, which is only 5% of the total.

According to a survey by JD Power and Associates, most people think they need a charging station where they currently have a gas station. In reality, however, most electric car owners spend more than 80% of their time at home, according to the Department of Energy.

However, ultra-fast chargers, which cost nearly $ 100,000, will have to be built primarily along highways where people have to travel long distances and charge quickly, experts say. It may also be needed in urban areas where some people live in apartments where household chargers are not available.

It's not clear if automakers can rely on fast-paced chargers, which are becoming increasingly popular across the country, to build customer trust and boost EV sales over the next few years. Jessica Transic, an associate professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who studies electric vehicle charging, said the high cost and heavy load on the electrical grid limited the number of quick chargers to where they needed to be charged quickly. It says it is likely.

"As we approach this transition, it's important not only to place them everywhere, but also to be more strategic," she said.

Charging companies have time to worry about installing fast chargers as it will take more than 17 years to convert all 279 million US automobiles from oil to electricity. Romano, CEO of the charging station company ChargePoint. However, for automakers who want more people to buy electric vehicles and the development costs to be spread across more vehicles, chargers cannot be reached quickly enough.

According to Romano, roads connecting metropolitan areas require fast chargers about every 120 kilometers, which should reach the United States in about two years. He said the more electric cars were sold, the more stations would be built.

“You don't want to provide your entire infrastructure from zero vehicles for 20 years,” says Romano. "This is about natural organic growth."

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This means that the car is ahead of the public charging network, which is not ready for the higher kW that the new car parade can handle. Experts say the charger has time to catch up, but the charger is much more expensive than the slow charger and requires more investment

Experts say chargers have time to catch up unless EV sales grow too high and the charging network is willing to invest in faster systems.

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