• • • EDITOR’S INTERVIEW • • •
“The increase in home solar has also enabled some users to assist in powering their own vehicles! Contribution to the local air quality cannot also be overlooked as switching to local emission free vehicles means cleaner streets and better air quality for all.” AK: “Electric Vehicles are the natural progression for transport, considering existing ICE vehicles contribute so heavily to emitting dangerous C02 emissions. EV’s will not eliminate climate change, but they are progression that is severely needed in the transport sector. “Also, It’s not just about a greener future, it’s about a fairer future for our generations to come and be able to continue work we have started to ensure a safe, habitable planet.”
SK: How do you see the EV industry developing over the next five years? BH: “Electric vehicles are emerging into the mainstream and almost every vehicle brand has an EV or two on the market. I see this increasing to where at least half the brands models will be electric or available in electric.
“Customers will demand longer ranges and equivalent pricing and we may see the gap between petrol and electric decreasing. Home charging demands may increase with many wanting solution to charge two cars a night and solutions will need to be improved for this. “Lots of talk and work will go into V2G however I suspect this will still be a niche feature due to price and car makes willingness to be involved. “With installers I see more crossover taking place with solar installers getting into charging, charger installers getting in to solar and many more electricians getting qualified in EV charger fitting. “With public charging the only bottlenecks will be enough engineers with councils and government on board and a willingness to invest in private infrastructure from landowners.”
AK: “With the major automotive brands all introducing multiple EV options, manufacturers are gearing up for the 2030 ban on ICE and Hybrid vehicles. Home charging will become the main source of charging your EV, so expect the sector to
thrive, along with fleet electrification of last mile delivery and depot-based businesses. “The uptake in electricians completing their qualifications will help in completing jobs and assist in EV drivers making the most of their energy tariffs dedicated to overnight charging. R&D at Vestel is always pushing the boundaries to design and manufacture trusted and reliable products that are built to help future proof businesses and homes.”
SK: What do you think customers will be looking for in their EV chargers? BH: “Whilst having an app is a nice feature and a requirement for all EV chargers most users will ‘set and forget’. Once the unit is on the desired timer users want a reliable unit to plug in and go indoors!
“Now that many have decided an EV is for them and wouldn’t go back, longevity and reliability is key and picking a brand that has good history in both is key. “Whilst many will pick a certain charger due to aesthetics most will not mind if it does not look too industrial and neutral on their home. “Simple nice to have features such as lights so you can see your charger in the dark and a place to store a cable is all most people want. Renewable integration is nice to have especially in summer and is a premium extra to have on any charger if you already have solar panels.”
AK: “Initial need is always an app that is simple to use and simplifies scheduling your charge. As EV owners will appreciate, once the novelty of a new toy fades, the main requirement is reliability. The EVC-04 is built with robustness and reliability in mind. “All our chargers come with IP54 and IK10 impact ratings. Also, with safety in mind, all our UK residential chargers benefit from PEN protection and upgraded features to comply with the 2022 Smart Regulations. “For businesses a reliable backend is vital to smooth functioning, with our chargers OCPP 1.6JSON compatible, they can integrate with multiple backend platforms.
SK: What level of demand are we seeing for EV chargers/EV at the moment and how do you think this is set to change in the coming year? BH: “A majority of EVs sold will have an accompanying home charger so as the car industry grows its production then so increased the demand for EV chargers. Public charging is certainly increasing and will continue throughout the year especially in rapid charging. The increase in rapid charging hubs and forecourts will be enormous in 2023. With delays in car makers slowing the ‘waves’ of demand we were seeing when a ship full of one brand arrives will slow and it will be a steady build up throughout the year of demand for home charging installs.”
AK: “Current demand for home chargers tends to peak at couple times in the year, March and September. There is no coincidence in the fact that this is when the new car models/registrations are released in the UK. “This will change as the EV used car market grows and as businesses electrifying their fleets upgrade to EV vans/trucks. Going forward, the main focus is to be rapid charging hubs and forecourts, to replicate the fuel station model.”
SK: How important is aesthetic going to be for customers when making purchasing decisions? BH: “Much like with cars aesthetics for chargers can be very important although much like cars the more design orientated the more expensive the charger. These days a good value car is still a good looking car and good value chargers will need to be aesthetically pleasing and compliment the look of your house.
“Choice may be reduced on the better value models and there will need to be a compromise between looks, function and longevity. Those willing to spend the extra on design will be able too whilst I think most will happily take the most affordable and neutral option.”
AK: “Aesthetics is an individual thing and the importance of it is generally reliant on the financial implications of the purchase. If the charger will be in the garage hidden away, how good it looks may
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JUNE 2023 13
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