Feature: Automotive


There’s no doubt that EVs will


continue to grow in popularity, due in part to government incentives, but also to people’s awareness of environmental issues. However, even as EVs reach parity with traditional vehicles, the infrastructure issues will persist.


Charging points Arguably one of the biggest challenges for EV owners is the lack of charging points. For long-distance journeys, not having enough charging stations for the expected volume of EVs will cause problems. In 2019 there were about 15,500


charging points and 26,500 EV charging plugs across the country, five times the number of 2011. In 2020, the figures doubled to about 30,000, gaining on the country’s 68,000 petrol pumps. The UK government’s strategies also


include incentives for both, individuals and businesses to install more charging points. For example, the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) enables individual buyers of eligible EVs to receive a grant for up to 75% of the total purchase and installation costs of one EV charger for their home. These incentives are on top of the


extra £500m dedicated to EV charging infrastructure and the new £400m charging fund. A further £80m will go to EV charging as part of the ‘Road to Zero’ strategy’s £290m budget. With these developments, the


EV market is quickly establishing itself. To that end, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has streamlined standards for charging port construction. Undoubtedly it’s a great step toward electrifying the road network, but, still, moving around such vast amounts of energy is never going to happen without certain problems. If you’ve ever passed under high-


voltage powerlines whilst listening to a radio, you’ll know the phenomenon of electromagnetic interference first- hand. That 50Hz buzz is caused by a magnetic field created by the AC in the transmission cables. The interference emitted can affect sensitive electronics


A 40-litre tank of petrol contains over 1.3 giga-joules of energy. Creating a vehicle with this battery capacity, with a reasonable weight and cost, has been beyond the reach of EV manufacturers


from remarkable distances. The 50Hz mains buzz is largely


unavoidable, as it’s a built-in feature of the grid. However, whilst we can’t avoid this interference altogether, electrical engineers can limit its incidence at the source with correct components.


Rectification Whilst EVs are green and environmentally clean, typically they’re electrically “dirty”. EV batteries must be charged and discharged with DC power, in contrast to the AC provided by the grid. EVs will have rectification equipment on board, but even with the most stringent manufacturing parameters, no component is perfect. Millions of EVs will charge in one


day, most likely after rush hour. That is millions of separate instances of not-quite perfect rectification, each imposing subtle perturbations on the grid. In such situations, the cumulative


effect could be a highly unstable grid. One solution is to filter unwanted signals out of the AC at the charging point, ideally with a high-quality EMC filter. These filters remove disruptions caused by the rectifier onboard the EV, only allowing a smooth, sinusoidal signal back into the grid.


REO UK is using its expertise


in the e-mobile arena to create durable and innovative solutions to contribute to a greener automotive industry and world. The broad range of filters tailored to each need help ensure that we can use EVs in an


www.electronicsworld.co.uk February 2021 25


electrically-viable way and speed up the development of EV infrastructure in the UK.


Better world For all the negatives caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it has brought benefits in one particular area: the environment. The drop in carbon emissions during the pandemic has shown that modern life can be sustained in a more environmentally- friendly way. With the new policies put together by the government to invest in an electrical infrastructure and ban the sale of ICE vehicles, the UK will pave the way for a fully electrified and viable infrastructure.


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