EVBox Study: Fast Charging as Key

Divided Opinion of EV Drivers on Charging Infrastructure in Europe

The availability of charging stations along the road and the waiting time until the car is fully charged remain two of the three main hurdles for the switch to electric driving for European and also German citizens. This year, the number of charging points in Europe has almost reached 250,000, a quadrupling since 2015. The results suggest that today's electric car drivers are more aware of this number: their confidence in the availability of charging points compared to the general population is more than twice as high (60 vs. 24%). Thus, in the European comparison, even electric car drivers in Germany have the greatest confidence in finding charging points, followed by British (52%) and Dutch (52%) EV drivers.

Despite the federal government's master plan for charging infrastructure, the expansion of public and semi-public charging points in Germany is still lagging behind, the authors complain. This is also reflected in the divided opinions on charging infrastructure: 37 percent of EV drivers criticize it, and 35 percent find it well-developed. According to the survey, 4 out of 10 future EV drivers are willing to pay more for fast charging. Additionally, many EV drivers (64%) are familiar with the differences between regular and (ultra-) fast charging. There is an awareness of:

• Charging at home: 1 hour of charging can provide an additional range of up to 120 km
• Fast charging: 30 minutes of charging can provide an additional range of up to 250 km
• Ultra-fast charging (350 kW): 15 minutes of charging can provide an additional range of up to 400 km

With the knowledge that their car will charge faster at a public charging station, 47 percent of potential and 57 percent of current EV drivers confirm that they would be willing to pay more for fast charging. In contrast, 22 percent of potential and 27 percent of current EV drivers are not willing to pay more for fast charging.

Where do EV drivers use fast charging?

Looking at the use of fast charging, it becomes clear that there are (still) not many drivers who use fast charging regularly. Only 22 percent of EV drivers use a fast charger more than five times a month. This is to be expected, as the majority of charging occurs at home (72%) or at retail locations (43%), and fast charging is mainly required for trips that differ from daily commuting, according to the analysis. Currently, most EV drivers use fast charging at rest areas and gas stations along highways (55%), at retail locations (48%), and in public parking lots in cities (47%).

EV Drivers Appreciate High-Tech Features at HPC Chargers

According to the survey, EV drivers expect (ultra-) fast chargers to be equipped with all necessary features to make the charging process as simple as possible. For example, one in four (25%) found a good cable management system to be the most useful. The three most frequently requested features are: charge indicators (40%) that show the status/availability of the station from a distance, interactive touchscreens (34%), and good lighting (28%).

“Our results show that EV drivers want more fast-charging stations in commercial areas, gas stations, and urban areas. In Germany, especially in larger cities, a large portion of (future) users do not have a private parking space and therefore no possibility to install a home charging station,” analyzes Hermann Winkler (Regional Director DACH at EVBox).

To also give these EV drivers access to charging stations and keep pace with the growing e-mobility market, Winkler further demands that politics should promote fast charging stations and especially fast charging parks in cities in the coming years.