EVolution Magazine Issue 5 by Landor LINKS

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:08 Page 1

www.EVolutionMagazine.co.uk

Issue: July 2022

Oxford flicks the on switch Energy Superhub is now live

Researching public attitudes to parking and EV apps

Forget range anxiety, charging anxiety is here!

Just how secure is your chargepoint service?

Putting wireless charging concepts through their paces

Powering the transition to electric and hydrogen road transport

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:08 Page 2

Uniting what’s next in traffic. We are connecting the dots of a new mobility revolution that is transforming our towns and cities.

operators to make their road networks and fleets intelligent, enhance road safety and improve air quality.

With the broadest end-to-end portfolio of intelligent traffic management solutions, we work with cities, highway authorities and mobility

It’s time to make the world a better place. We are ready. Are you?

www.yunextraffic.com/uk

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 3

WELCOME

www.EVolutionMagazine.co.uk

Issue: July 2022

Oxford flicks the on switch Energy Superhub is now live

Researching public attitudes to parking and EV apps

Forget range anxiety, charging anxiety is here!

Just how secure is your chargepoint service?

Putting wireless charging concepts through their paces

Powering the transition to electric and hydrogen road transport

@EVolutionAlerts EVolutionMagazine.co.uk Editorial Managing editor: Mark Moran Tel: 020 7091 7871 mark.moran@landor.co.uk Production and design production@landor.co.uk Advertising, sponsorship, marketing and exhibition packages Jason Conboy Tel: 020 7091 7895 jason@landor.co.uk Subscriptions Christina Pierre Tel: 020 7091 7959 subs@landor.co.uk Accounts Irina Cocks Tel: 020 7091 7854 irina.cocks@landor.co.uk Business manager Rod Fletcher Tel: 0191 280 1410 Printed by: Pensord Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood NP12 2YA Published by: Landor LINKS Ltd, Apollo House, 359 Kennington Lane, London SE11 5QY © Landor LINKS Ltd 2022

www.landor.co.uk Registered members of:

The Independent Press Standards Organisation www.ipso.co.uk

The Professional Publishers Association www.ppa.co.uk

Cover: Energy Superhub Oxford

EVolution | July 2021

JustCharge is a peer-to-peer network offering residents the chance to become part of a community charging scheme

Infrastructure is everywhere The UK is now home to an increasingly deep network of public chargepoints provided in car parks, at park & ride sites and rail stations, on motorways, in supermarkets and along the kerbside. According to the Zap-Map website, at the end of June 2022 there were 32,663 charging points spread across 19,960 charging locations. This represents a 34% increase in the number of charging devices since June 2021. In May, 829 new charging devices were added to the Zap-Map database. Government investment in the rolling out of charging infrastructure so far runs to an estimated £1.5bn. Looking forward, there is a need to ensure that public EV charging is a genuine national network in which currently underserved regions and communities are catered for. This means rural and marginal locations, which are possibly less attractive to commercial chargepoint providers, become areas where public funding will become especially important in future. However, there are positive signs that the private sector is increasingly willing to underwrite the provision of chargepoints and creation of charging hubs. But there are other ways in which companies can help fill in the gaps. For example, the Zap-Map figures do not include the many chargepoints installed at home or at workplace locations, which are estimated to be more than 400,000. Hopefully more of these chargepoints can be available to the public via community charging services.

Mark Moran Editor

Opening up access to home and workplace chargers may help fill in gaps on the map

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 4

NEWS

Car plug-in grant comes to an end Government’s spending focus moves to improving charging infrastructure The UK government has pulled the plug on grants to support the purchase of plugin cars. The government says the focus of its support funding will now move to other vehicle types and to expanding the UK’s charging infrastructure. The government claims the Electric Vehicle Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) scheme has helped create a mature market for ultra-low emission vehicles, helping to increase the sales of fully electric cars from less than 1,000 in 2011 to almost 100,000 in the first five months of 2022 alone. There were 39,000 new electric vehicles (EV) registrations in March 2022, more than in the whole of 2019. Battery and hybrid electric vehicles now make up more than half of all new cars sold and fully electric car sales have risen by 70% in the last year. They now represent 1-in-6 new cars joining UK roads. The government had signalled that the plug-in car grant was temporary and previously confirmed funding until 202223. It said that successive reductions in the size of the grant, and the number of models it covers, have had little effect on rapidly accelerating sales or on the continuously growing range of models being manufactured. As announced in the autumn statement, some £300m in grant funding will now be made available to extend plug-in grants to

Workplace charging boosts UK network There are nearly as many workplace chargepoints than public chargers for electric vehicles in the UK – nearly doubling the amount of infrastructure available to drivers. A report on workplace chargers has found there are 33,000 charging sockets at workplaces. Mobility services group Transport & Environment (T&E), which commissioned consultancy Cenex to conduct the study, said that over a third of car and van miles are for commuting and business purposes, highlighting the need to require landowners to install charging where people work. The growth of the EV fleet is being mirrored by the growth of chargepoint installation rates. Some 7,600 public chargers were installed in the last year.

Some £1.4bn has been invested in plug-in cars

boost sales of specific plug-in vehicle types such as taxis, motorcycles, vans and trucks and wheelchair accessible vehicles. The government will now focus its major funding towards addressing barriers to the EV transition, including public charging and supporting the purchase of other road vehicles where the switch to electric requires further development. The shift in focus will also help allow government funding to target expanding the public chargepoint network, helping to eradicate “range anxiety” and ensure the transition to zero-emission transport is easy and convenient for all drivers across the UK. The government has already committed £1.6bn to building the UK’s public chargepoint network. The government said significant savings that can be achieved in running costs for electric cars compared to petrol or diesel equivalents can often exceed the current £1,500 value of the grant, and electric car drivers will continue to benefit from generous incentives including zero road tax and favourable company car tax rates, which can save drivers over £2,000 a year.

All existing applications for the grant will continue to be honoured and where a car has been sold in the two working days before the announcement, but an application for the grant from dealerships has not yet been made, the sale will also still qualify for the grant. Transport minister Trudy Harrison said: “The government continues to invest record amounts in the transition to EVs, with £2.5bn injected since 2020, and has set the most ambitious phase-out dates for new diesel and petrol sales of any major country. But government funding must always be invested where it has the highest impact if that success story is to continue. “Having successfully kickstarted the electric car market, we now want to use plug-in grants to match that success across other vehicle types, from taxis to delivery vans and everything in between, to help make the switch to zero-emission travel cheaper and easier.” Since its inception in 2011, the government’s plug-in car grant has provided over £1.4bn and has supported the purchase of nearly half-a-million vehicles. A public evaluation report by Office for Zero Emission Vehicles highlights that while the plug-in car grant was vital in building the early market for electric vehicles, it has since been having less of an effect on demand, with other existing price incentives such as company car tax, continuing to have an important impact. The report also found the plug-in van market will benefit from grant incentives that support businesses and their fleets in making the switch.

Local Transport Plans must address EV charging Local authorities will be issued guidance on the preparation of local transport plans (LTPs) in the autumn. The guidance will set out all the Department for Transport’s (DfT) objectives for local transport in one place. The DfT has confirmed there will be a requirement for a local electric vehicle charging strategy to be published as a detailed supporting document accompanying each LTP. The DfT’s head of funding reform and delivery Nicole Barton has explained LTPs should include a detailed action plan setting out how public chargepoints will be provided, supported and aligned with the other

transport and energy needs of the area. Speaking at last month’s New Era for LTPs event Barton said that, in line with the government’s Taking Charge: the electric vehicle strategy document, the document should include: • agreed ownership and resourcing of the planning and delivery of EV charging infrastructure roll out • commitments on the scale and type of chargepoint deployment they will prioritise to meet local needs • a clear plan for engaging and supporting chargepoint planning and delivery across all its constituent councils

• a commercial approach which maximises opportunities to draw in private investment • early engagement with local businesses about the needs of their fleets, and consideration of how these can be addressed • working with local electricity network operators to understand electricity network considerations. • consideration of how chargepoints will be integrated into their environment and relate to other transport considerations (e.g active travel, bus prioritisation • consideration of ease of payment at public chargepoints.

EVolution | July 2022

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 5

NEWS

Climate Change Committee’s warning 16% New electric car sales

200,000

14% 12%

150,000

10% 8%

100,000

6% 4%

50,000

2% 0

BEVs

PHEVs

Market share (%)

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

0% 2015

There is little evidence that the UK government is delivering on its own ambitious commitments to reach net zero by 2050, says the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC). A progress report published by the committee finds major failures in delivery programmes towards the achievement of the UK’s climate goals. Last year, the CCC applauded the government for setting ambitious targets and launching a new Net Zero Strategy. Policies are now in place for most sectors of the economy, but its review of progress finds “scant evidence” of delivery against these headline goals so far. There are some areas where progress has been made, says the CCC, but in most areas the likelihood of under-delivery is high. The CCC calls this is a “high-wire” approach to net zero. For the UK’s climate lead to be effective, the world must have confidence that it will keep its promises and that it has a clear and effective programme to achieve its commitments. In the area of domestic heating, the CCC says that the UK government must drive down energy bills and reduce climate-warming emissions by insulating more homes. The committee estimates consumers are paying £40 extra a year on bills because of previous cuts to the home renovation programme. The committee says ministers must harness the Ukraine fuel crisis to push ahead with renewables.

18%

250,000

Market share (all plug-in EVs)

Current programmes will not deliver net zero, warns CCC

CCC benchmark (%)

Source: DfT (2022) Vehicle statistics and SMMT (2022) Vehicle data, car registrations; CCC analysis. Notes: Market share, shown on the right-hand axis, represents the combined sales of BEVs and PHEVs as a proportion of all new car sales in the given year. The CCC milestone is the share of new BEVs and PHEVs in our CCC Balanced Pathway.

Number of UK new electric car sales and market share of total new car sales

The committee praises the government on two issues: a renewable energy programme which will save people £125 a year on bills by 2030; and promoting electric cars, although more chargepoints and electric vans are needed. In a 600-page assessment, the CCC has revamped its framework for monitoring the UK’s climate progress, focussing on the changes needed on the ground to achieve net zero. Across the economy, the CCC has developed detailed new progress indicators to assess the risks of net zero delivery. CCC chairman Lord Deben said: “The UK is a champion in setting new climate goals, now we must be worldbeaters in delivering them. In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, the country is crying out to end its dependence on expensive fossil fuels. I welcome the government’s restated commitment to net zero, but holes must be plugged in its strategy urgently. The window to deliver real progress is short. We are eagle-eyed for the promised action.”

UK emissions are now almost half (47%) their 1990 levels. Emissions rose 4% in 2021 as the economy began to recover from COVID-19 but were still 10% below 2019 levels. Further progress must be led by government policies with clear direction, credible delivery mechanisms and suitable incentives to shape private sector action. In no sector of the economy is this yet complete. The CCC report makes over 300 recommendations for filling out policies over the next year, reflecting the scale of the task at hand as the government moves from strategy to implementation. The areas of strongest progress are backed and led by well-designed government policy: • Deployment of renewable electricity: Emissions from electricity generation have fallen by nearly 70% in the last decade. With offshore wind, business has shown that given the right market conditions and support it can cut costs dramatically and deploy low-carbon solutions rapidly. • Electric cars are being adopted in greater numbers each year: Their rise is already ahead of CCC and government growth projections, showing that consumers and households are willing to adopt low-carbon options when offered a cost-effective, good quality product. In other areas, low-carbon options remain in their infancy. The CCC said policy has not yet begun to guide the promised private sector action in areas such as energy efficiency in homes and agriculture.

UK faces £1.5bn funding shortfall, warns Liberty Charge Liberty Charge is warning of a £1.5bn gap in government funding for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. The public chargepoint operator says the government’s £450m Local Electric Vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) fund falls short of real-life costs. In total, the government has committed just under £1.5bn in funding for rapid and transit charge points across the UK. Liberty Charge believes this is just half of what it will cost to install the 300,000 public chargepoints needed to electrify the UK and could leave Britain at risk of missing its net zero goals. Liberty Charge believes private sector firms are able to fund the installation and maintenance of chargepoints across many parts of the UK. It is urging the government to redirect its £450m LEVI fund to where it is needed most, such as remote, rural regions and areas of higher

EVolution | July 2022

deprivation where the commercial case is not viable. This will ensure government funding is concentrated in creating a comprehensively nationwide charging network that leaves no-region and no-one behind. The chargepoint operator also believes that funds should be used to significantly amplify the £50m the government has set aside for the local authority resourcing. Neil Isaacson, chief executive of Liberty Charge, said the private sector should and can handle the funding gap needed to meet chargepoint targets. “Local authorities urgently need more resources and funding to boost electric vehicle infrastructure, if the UK is to meet the deadline it has set itself of ending sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030,” he said. Liberty Charge has commissioned research and will be releasing results

Neil Isaacson in a white paper in the coming weeks. The most fundamental finding from the report is how chronically underresourced local authorities are. Just 14% have dedicated EV infrastructure

resources, 3% have none at all. On average three people work a collective 15 hours per week each on planning, commissioning and implementation. That is less than half a full-time employee devoted to EV infrastructure roll out.“I understand they’re under-resourced, but the government will need to go further and faster if it’s really serious about hitting its net zero target,” Isaacson said. Liberty Charge is also pressing for a level playing field on VAT for public charging. Currently on street charging is set at 20% VAT compared to only 5% for those with off-street chargepoints. For many people, particularly the disadvantaged, this is adding costs that put electric vehicles out of their reach.“Without the right size and scale of public charging infrastructure that gives confidence to households that don’t have off-street parking, they just won’t turn to electric vehicles.”

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 6

NEWS

Cost of rapid EV charging increases RAC Charge Watch reveals impact of energy price rises The average price of charging an electric car on a pay-asyou-go, non-subscription basis at a publicly accessible rapid charger in Great Britain has increased by 21% to 44.55p per kilowatt hour (kWh) since September 2021, according to figures analysed by the RAC’s new Charge Watch service. RAC Charge Watch is an initiative designed to monitor the cost of public electric car charging in the UK. Run in association with the national FairCharge campaign, Charge Watch follows the motoring organisation’s Fuel Watch service which records petrol and diesel prices. The 7.81p per kWh increase, from 36.74p at the end of last summer, means that the average cost to complete an 80% rapid charge of a typical family-sized electric car with a 64kWh battery has increased by £4 over this period, from £18.81 to £22.81 now (cars

revert to slower charging speeds beyond 80% to preserve battery health). In contrast, the cost of filling a 55-litre family car from empty to 80% has increased by a huge £14.54 since last September, from £59.67 to £74.21 – a 24% increase. The RAC’s analysis shows that it now costs on average 10p per mile to charge at a rapid charger, up from 8p per mile last September. This is nearly half the cost per mile compared to filling a petrolpowered family car, the cost of which has risen from 15p per mile since the end of last September to 19p per mile now. The cost per mile for a

similarly sized diesel-powered car is higher at nearly 21p. The average price of charging at the quickest ultrarapid chargers – which have a power output of 100kW-plus and can deliver a charge to a compatible vehicle in as little as 20 minutes – has increased by a greater margin of 16.76p per kWh, from 34.21p per kWh in September to 50.97p in May. This means the cost to charge a vehicle to 80% has risen from £17.51 to £26.10. However, this is still £48 cheaper than filling a petrolpowered car to 80%, although electric car drivers do not get quite as many miles from an 80% charge as drivers of petrol

cars do from an equivalent fillup of a tank of fuel. The RAC said the price increases facing drivers of electric cars using public chargers can be explained by rises in the wholesale cost of electricity, which itself is driven by hikes in the cost of gas. A considerable proportion of the UK’s electricity is generated by natural gas-fired power stations. Ofgem figures show that the wholesale cost of gas doubled between the end of September 2021 and the end of March this year, with wholesale electricity prices rising by around 65% over the same period.

InstaVolt secures £110m funding

Fastned raises €23m to finance growth European fast charging company Fastned has raised nearly €23m with the issue of new bonds. In addition, investors have extended over €7m worth of investments from earlier issues, bringing the total issued amount in this round to nearly €30m. The newly issued bonds mature in December 2026. From 10 May to 12 June, investors could subscribe to the bonds with 5% interest and a maturity of 4.5 years. Holders of Fastned bonds bought before April 2019 could extend their investment by

exchanging those bonds for bonds in the new issue. Including earlier extensions this has reduced the repayment obligation for Fastned in 2022 by nearly €10m. Michiel Langezaal, chief executive of Fastned, said:“The bond issue allows us to continue to invest in the expansion of our Europe-wide network, bringing more freedom to electric drivers. EV sales are hitting all-time highs and on top of that, EU lawmakers voted to support a proposed ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.”

InstaVolt has received £110m in senior debt financing from Santander, Lloyds Bank, Investec, Natixis and NIBC to continue its expansion of rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the UK. The funding comes three months after EQT Infrastructure acquired InstaVolt. Adrian Keen, InstaVolt’s chief executive officer, said: “Having such prestigious banks come together to provide this facility is a sure sign of confidence in InstaVolt and the opportunity provided by the charging infrastructure industry more generally. This funding will form an important part of our strategy to expand our network within the UK and support our country’s continued green transition: a journey which

requires organisations and bodies to come together wherever possible. “InstaVolt has been at the forefront of the growth in public charging infrastructure, providing industry leading levels of reliability at fantastic locations across the country. We are witnessing a rapid transition to electric vehicles, and it is of fundamental importance that the infrastructure is in place to support that.” InstaVolt has a vision to build a nationwide network of 10,000 rapid EV chargers by 2032. This year, InstaVolt was named the UK’s best public charging network by Zap-Map for the fourth year in a row and won the EVIE Private Sector Infrastructure Strategy of the Year award for the second year in a row.

EVolution | July 2022

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 7

NEWS

York offers rapid charging at P&R York’s first HyperHub opens at Monks Cross park & ride Three electric vehicle HyperHubs will be coming online in York over the coming months. The first hub was opened in midJune adjacent to the Monks Cross park & ride site. A second is set to open next to the Poppleton Bar P&R site in the summer. A third site is due to open on a site near the city centre. The projects are the result of a partnership between the City of York Council and EvoEnergy. The Monks Cross hub features four 175kW ultra-rapid chargers (which can be upgraded to 350kW when more electric vehicles can charge at this rate), four 50kW rapid chargers, with an adjacent area having 30 7kW chargers for park & ride users. The hub has a solar canopy which allows the site to generate its own renewable energy which can be stored in the Tesla Powerpack batteries at the hub, helping to reinforce the grid. The ultra-rapid and rapid chargers offer contactless payment. Cars and vans can access the chargers, and the facility has been designed with no kerbs to allow disabled access. Protection from the

The Monks Cross HyperHub

weather is provided by the solar canopy and all of the electricity supplied from the National Grid will be generated by renewable sources. A key element behind the development of the HyperHubs was the production of an electric vehicle charging strategy by the City of York Council. This looked at a wide

range of issues in order to ensure that the HyperHubs met the needs of residents, fleets, commuters and through traffic. The convenient location of the charging hubs was a central part of the strategy, with the first two HyperHub sites being located off the ring road next to established park & ride sites.

£100k grant for Derbyshire EV and car sharing platform An online platform that will encourage EV usage and car sharing in Derbyshire has been awarded £100,000 funding from sub-national transport body Midlands Connect. Independent research consultancy Cenex, working in partnership with Derbyshire County Council, has been announced as the winner of Midlands Connect’s Future of Rural Mobility competition, receiving £100,000 of funding to develop its proposal for an online electric vehicle (EV) charging and car sharing platform. Once developed, the online platform will allow EV users across Derbyshire to ‘rent out’ their private chargepoints, giving motorists access to more chargers to power up their vehicles. The platform will also promote car sharing by providing opportunities for people to rent out their cars when they are not using them, meaning that residents without their own private vehicle can get around more easily. It is hoped the project will encourage sustainable travel and open up opportunities for EV ownership to groups who may not have benefitted from access to local charging points before, particularly households without off-street parking.

EVolution | July 2022

Cllr Barry Lewis and Cllr Tony King The online platform will initially be targeted towards residents and local businesses, with hopes to expand it to tourists in time. Midlands Connect’s Future of Rural Mobility competition received submissions from businesses which were asked to present new ideas that could help solve the social, environmental, and economic issues caused by poor connectivity in rural areas. The winner was announced at Midlands Connect’s Rural Mobility

Conference in Melton Mowbray. The conference included panels from competition winners and runners up, as well as the Department for Transport, senior politicians and transport experts. Midlands Connect chief executive Maria Machancoses said:“Poor transport connectivity can be a challenge for rural communities, with residents often experiencing worse access to amenities and services such as schools, workplaces or

hospitals. Our rural mobility competition was created to address these challenges and to create innovative solutions that would enhance transport connectivity in isolated communities.” Cenex chief executive Robert Evans said:“Our digital mobility hub has the potential to change the way Derbyshire residents think about transport. By giving people access to information on services such as car sharing we can improve transport connectivity and reduce harmful carbon emissions from road transport.” Cllr Tony King, cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration at Derbyshire County Council, added: “We welcome the support given by Midlands Connect in tackling rural connectivity, something that many counties across the Midlands are challenged with. Lower population density often leads to patchy public transport in rural areas and for people without access to a car, this can lead to isolation. “The platform proposed by Cenex has the potential to change our residents’ lives – particularly those who do not have their own vehicle or share with other members of their household, as well as those considering switching to an electric vehicle.”

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 8

CHARGING HUBS

Switched on in Oxford The newly opened Energy Superhub Oxford provides fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles and has the capacity to charge up to 400

he Energy Superhub Oxford has been officially opened. The charging hub will initially offer fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once at Oxford’s Redbridge park & ride. The charging hub is being powered entirely by renewable energy. With 10MW of installed capacity on site, the hub can scale up with electric vehicle (EV) adoption to provide charging for 400 vehicles, helping to support the estimated 36 million EVs expected on UK roads by 2040. The £41m urban decarbonisation project was delivered by Pivot Power, together with a consortium of global partners and part-funded by the UK government. Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, has worked alongside Oxford City Council, Fastned, Tesla Superchargers and Wenea. Matt Allen, chief executive and cofounder of Pivot Power, said: “Urban decarbonisation is ground zero for the immediate emissions reductions needed to tackle the climate crisis. Energy

Superhub Oxford provides a vision of the future, today. By delivering a worldleading project that cuts emissions across transport, power and heat, we are breaking new ground to help the UK reach net zero sooner.” Cllr Imogen Thomas, cabinet member for Zero Carbon Oxford and climate justice at Oxford City Council, said: “Oxford has a history of being ambitious as we look to adopt new and exciting transport approaches in our city. Redbridge was the location of the country’s first full running park & ride in 1973, and now almost 50 years later, we are home to Europe’s most powerful electric vehicle charging hub. In order to achieve a Zero Carbon Oxford by 2040 we need to encourage uptake in electric vehicles, and drivers want to know that they can charge their vehicles quickly and efficiently.” The opening event on 7 July was attended by Trudy Harrison MP, transport decarbonisation minister, who said: “Electric vehicles form a key part of our

strategy to decarbonise transport, so I’m pleased to see Europe’s most powerful EV charging hub opening in Oxford. Both the government and industry, working together, are investing billions in projects like this to help provide the infrastructure to support the UK’s electric revolution and soaring EV sales. This, in turn, will help us decarbonise transport, create high skilled jobs, and provide cleaner air across the UK.”

The chargepoints European EV rapid charging company Fastned has initially installed ten charging bays at the Superhub with 300kW of power available, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for hundreds of EVs per day. Michiel Langezaal, chief executive of Fastned, said: “The launch of Fastned’s station at Energy Superhub Oxford, our 12th station in the UK, marks another important milestone in our mission to revolutionise the charging experience for British EV drivers, by giving them electric

EVolution | July 2022

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 9

CHARGING HUBS freedom. Since we opened the UK’s first public ultra-rapid charging station in Sunderland in 2019, Fastned has been committed to using our experience from across Europe to accelerate the EV revolution in the UK. Just a month ago, drivers started using our first station in London, and in May we opened the largest ultra-rapid station in Scotland in Hamilton.” EV charging services providers Wenea has deployed twenty 7-22kW charging bays. Work to install Wenea’s EV charging stations was carried out by ODS – a wholly owned subsidiary of Oxford City Council. Jose Contreras, head of Wenea UK, said: “Wenea’s objective is to enable electric mobility for everyone in order to reduce overall emissions. Transport decarbonisation will only be achieved through the collaboration of public and private transport. The project in Redbridge park & ride is the perfect example. Wenea’s offer will cater for electric vehicle users with dwell times of several hours, typically commuters or tourists who prefer to leave their EVs in Redbridge and enter the city via public transport.” A further 12 250kW Tesla Superchargers will be available for Tesla owners.

Supporting Zero Carbon Oxford Pivot Power’s network can be expanded to key locations throughout Oxford to decarbonise public and private transport, taxis and commercial fleets, supporting Oxford’s net zero 2040 target, as well as providing infrastructure for the pilot Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), a scheme that applies fees to any non-electric vehicle entering the central zone. The site is directly connected to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network via a four-mile underground cable, which will deliver 10MW of power to quickly and simultaneously charge hundreds of EVs without putting additional strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades. A substation has already been installed at Oxford Bus Company’s Watlington Road depot, ready to support the company’s plans to introduce over 100 electric buses in the coming two years. As part of the project, Energy Superhub Oxford has also supported the decarbonisation of Oxford City Council’s fleet of maintenance vehicles, managed by ODS. In total, Energy Superhub Oxford has contributed almost £900,000 towards the procurement of 40 EVs, including cars, vans, road sweepers, tipper trucks and the city’s first all-electric bin lorry. It is envisaged that Energy Superhub Oxford will provide a blueprint for cities around the world to simultaneously scale up green transport, power and heating. It will unlock significant emissions

EVolution | July 2022

A 5MWh flow battery system, manufactured in the UK by Invinity, has been combined with a 50MWh Wärtsilä lithium-ion battery to operate as a single energy storage asset

reductions across power, heat and transport as part of the programme to decarbonise Oxford by 2040 – saving 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, equivalent to taking over 2,000 cars off the road, increasing to 25,000 tonnes by 2032.

Hybrid energy battery system The opening event also marked the activation of Energy Superhub Oxford’s hybrid battery system, developed by Pivot Power. This is designed to underpin local and national clean power systems and support the UK’s transition towards a zero-carbon energy system. The battery system, which stores renewable energy at times of high supply, will provide essential flexibility to the UK’s grid as renewable energy is scaled up. During periods when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow, the battery will discharge, helping to ensure electricity is secure and reliable throughout the day.

A powerful partnership Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO) is one of three demonstrator projects part-funded by the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund through the Prospering from the Energy Revolution programme, which is enabling innovation in smart local energy systems. The programme is delivered by Innovate UK – part of UK Research and Innovation – and contributed £10.3m to the ESO project. ESO – a collaboration between Pivot Power, Habitat Energy, Invinity, Kensa, Oxford University, and Oxford City Council – showcases rapid electric vehicle charging, hybrid battery storage, lowcarbon heating, and smart energy management to improve air quality and accelerate Oxford’s zero-carbon journey. The ESO project forms what will is intended to be a nationwide network of Energy Superhubs developed by Pivot Power that combine transmission-connected batteries and power infrastructure for EV charging to enable more renewables and accelerate the decarbonisation of transport.

It combines a 2MW/5MWh vanadium flow battery from energy storage leader Invinity Energy Systems with a 50MW/50MWh lithium-ion battery from global technology company Wärtsilä to deliver an innovative energy storage solution that can balance the intermittency of renewable energy. The system will be controlled and managed by Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform and optimised by Habitat Energy’s AI-enabled battery trading system.

Net zero for cities Pivot Power plans to deploy up to 40 Energy Superhubs across the UK, with the next two projects already underway in Coventry and Sandwell, to the northwest of Birmingham. Once complete, it is estimated that network could provide almost 10% of the energy storage that the UK is predicted to require by 2035. As the flagship Superhub city, Oxford is seeking to show how local councils can accelerate their net zero plans. It recently set out its plans to reach net zero by 2040 and reduce emissions by 40% by 2030. Energy Superhub Oxford has also supported the installation of over 60 ground source heat pumps for social housing properties in Oxford, helping to alleviate the reliance on fossil fuel-based heating that has pushed energy prices to record levels and placed increased strain on working families. Residents who have already received ground source heat pumps in Oxford have reported running cost savings of over 50%. The project is also demonstrating the use of remote control to target times when renewable energy is most plentiful and lowest carbon. This approach will reduce future electricity bills as heat pump installations scale from thousands to millions over the next decade.

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:09 Page 10

ANALYSIS A Flowbird EV chargepoint

Encouraging connections Flowbird research reveals polarised attitudes among the public to payment technology and apps for parking and EV charging, says Danny Hassett

t is probably fair to say parking is undergoing its biggest disruption ever. On one hand, this is driven by digital technologies. On the other, by the need to deploy electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at scale in parking spaces. Whilst both are important, we at Flowbird have worried for some time that both are being driven too much by technology capability, and not enough by user need. To understand what that user need really is, we recently commissioned YouGov to survey 2,000 people in the UK. In a world where everyone is promising a silver bullet to complex problems, our most interesting finding was that there was no single answer. People are different. When asked the same question, different people responded in different ways. The

impact is clear, we need to cater to a range of different needs. Do people like parking apps? Yes and no. One of our most nuanced findings was on parking apps (for transparency, Flowbird is one of the companies offering such an app). Our survey found 22% of respondents agreed that parking apps had made their lives easier. It also found 28% disagreed (the rest were ‘don’t knows’ or on the fence). Some drivers may find that surprising for such an obviously useful technology. But some people do not have smartphones, or struggle with apps. Others don’t want to hand over their personal data. This seems particularly true amongst older users, our survey found retirees disliked parking apps at a

higher rate than the general population (39%). In April 2022 this issue hit national headlines when a group of elderly residents in Kent branded their council ageist for only offering app payment options.

Payment options Related to apps is the issue of how people want to pay. Whilst many are clearly happy to pay with apps, 56% of respondents said they still expect to still pay for parking via a physical terminal some of the time, rising to 63% for retirees. This loosely echoes a 2021 study by the British Parking Association which found 75% of parking payments still use cash. Some objections are not technological,

EVolution | July 2022

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:10 Page 11

ANALYSIS Are driving habits changing?

I expect to drive less overall

21%

I expect to drive more overall

My driving level will stay the same

39%

I expect to use more public transport

I expect to use more shared services (e.g. Uber, carpooling)

I will avoid mass public transport as much as possible due to concerns about covid/other infections I expect to work more flexibly and drive to my place of work on fewer days per week than before the pandemic Not applicable – I don’t drive

8% 23%

but to do with privacy or convenience. Some people are fine with one app for their regular car park, but do not want a new sign up every time they go somewhere new (66% of respondents found it frustrating to download multiple apps for different car parks). An alternative ‘smart’ solution could be a QR code that takes the driver straight to a payment portal, where they enter their numberplate and card details, with no sign up, download, or personal data sharing. In our survey 55% said they liked the sound of this option. Together, the views on apps and payments underline the importance of a multi-option strategy to ensure everyone is included. Our view is that all car parks need to include a mix of physical and digital options, with that mix changing gradually as user needs evolve. Rather than replacing old approaches, operators should add new options, then follow usage data on both, and only remove older options if they become redundant.

Beyond apps: How might technology change parking next? Parking apps have been much discussed as the disrupter of parking, but other digital tools could be useful too. Flexible parking options could be one. If tickets are managed digitally, there is no reason season tickets options could not be expanded to offer caps or incremental discounts (tracked by ANPR or scanning a registered payment card). In our research, 19% wanted more flexible season tickets – not an overwhelming number, but not insignificant. Our research also found 33% would find multi-modal journey options useful – e.g. booking parking, bus, and bike hire in a

EVolution | July 2022

single transaction. Such joined up approaches also allow discounts and price caps, saving people money. An Economist article in May noted that “outside London, bus, train and tram services are often disjointed. The result is confusion and greater cost for the public”. Such services have been slower than payment apps because they require behind-the-scenes platforms – which track users through multiple payment points based on an identifier (payment card, numberplate), manage multi-party payment splits, and link to enforcement – to create seamless user experiences. Many parking operators are deploying this type of digital platform, and once it is in, it opens options to provide these indemand (and monetisable) services. Furthermore, when linked via a single platform, such services can be booked not just online, but via payment terminals with touchscreens. In fact, 31% said they would find it useful to be able to use smart terminals to book services other than parking, a figure that would no doubt rise if such services became commonplace.

What do people want from EV charging infrastructure? Finally, we looked at the next big parking transformation, EV charging, where 52% of our respondents said more parking spaces should have EV charging points (only 7% disagreed, the rest were neutral). This varied little by region. Like parking, we found that user experience of booking and payment was important, with varied expectations. Some 66% of existing EV drivers said current payment schemes were too complicated (though EV driving survey respondents were low, so this should be interpreted with caution). Nonetheless, there was appetite for simple options: 64% of all respondents (and 94% of EV drivers) said there should be an on-the-spot payment option for EV charging (i.e. no sign up) and 42% said there should be an option to pay with cash. Where chargepoints lack functionality for such things, they could be

Parking apps have made parking easier for me

Strongly agree

It is frustrating to have to download different parking apps for different car parks Strongly agree

45%

Tend to agree

21%

Neither agree nor disagree

14%

Tend to disagree

Strongly disagree

Don’t know

15%

linked to smart parking terminals to offer such options, underlying the importance of a joined-up parking and EV approach.

An inclusive approach to parking and charging Whilst both digital technologies and EV charging will be critical to the future of parking, our research highlights that they must be deployed according to user need. Many of these products are good, but it sometimes feels like their business models are inspired by the ‘best-product-wins’ world of consumer tech. We feel this is wrong for this market. These products must be deployed into a public service (parking) or a managed infrastructure transition (EV charging). They need to integrate into a complex ecosystem and to work for everyone, not just the wealthy or the tech savvy. Local authorities – whose duty is to their residents and community – must select and deploy new technologies as part of a strategy, aligned to the evolving user needs. Flowbird has operated around the world for decades and we recognise that this new raft of technologies does indeed represent unprecedented change for parking. But the underlying principle has not changed: infrastructure needs to be designed for a broad range of user needs. As our research shows, those needs are diverse. We hope our report will provide valuable insight to local authorities to help them understand what users want, and shape long term strategic decisions about the use of parking space. Danny Hassett is managing director at Flowbird Smart City UK

Tend to agree

14%

Neither agree nor disagree

24%

About the research

Tend to disagree

12%

Strongly disagree

17%

Don’t know

25%

Flowbird’s total cohort for this research was 2,085 respondents who were a demographically representative sample of the UK population. Driving habits were: 67% petrol or diesel drivers, 2% electric, 4% hybrid, and 25% non-drivers, ~2% rare options including hydrogen and biofuels.

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:10 Page 12

JOIN US !

12-14 September 2022 Brussels, Belgium

EPA Congress & Exhibition 2022 network, build long-term relationships and much more...

www.epacongress.eu

+500 participants +50 sponsors and exhibitors European Parking Award a biennial award for excellence in parking High Level Congress Programme with plenary sessions, round table discussions and 6 sustainable mobility sessions about: • Digitization/APDS/AVP • New Business Models • Access-parking Management • Kerb Side Management • Park4Sump/Horizon2020 • Urban Planning, Infrastructure and Mobility Refreshing and exclusive Welcome Reception in prestigious Town Hall of Brussels High class seated Gala Dinner Field trip through Brussels with parking and mobility experts

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:18 Page 13

INFRASTRUCTURE

Calming down ‘charging anxiety’ Mike Coulton asks are there enough chargepoints to meet future EV demand?

he UK’s postcode lottery of public chargepoints may be contributing to charging anxiety among potential electric vehicle (EV) drivers, but suggests the conundrum of a lack of overall public chargepoints is a common misconception The creation of a robust, reliable, and fit-for-purpose public charging infrastructure that enjoys the full confidence of EV drivers is central to mainstream adoption of electric cars. Forecasts outlined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) suggest that up to 480,000 public charging points will be needed across the UK by 2030. In addition, according to estimates published by the European Commission, every ten electric vehicles on the road require one public charger solution. Therefore, with 460,000 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) currently on the road in the UK, the present availability of 31,000 public chargers, as of April 2022, might appear insufficient. However, these statistics seem to ignore one vitally important factor: there are also approximately 300,000 home chargepoints installed across the UK, which leaves just 160,000 BEV drivers without a home charger. This vastly reduces the dependency on the public network. If it is only the remaining 160,000 BEV drivers that need regular access to public chargers, the 31,000 currently available means the UK has almost double the suggested requirement outlined by the European Commission. Are there still issues with the UK’s charging infrastructure? Yes – but it’s not the number of public chargers that is the concern – it is the accessibility, reliability and geography of chargepoints that require attention and investment from both the automotive industry and the government. Figures from the Department for Transport up to July 2021 demonstrate that London and the South East benefit from a disproportionately higher number of public charging points per capita when compared with other areas around the UK. Based on public charging points per 100,000 people, drivers in London and the South East enjoy access to 128 chargepoints. This is more than Wales (29), Scotland (47) and Northern Ireland (17) combined.

EVolution | July 2022

With discussions underway concerning the government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda, the North also falls short when compared with the capital and the South East. This fact is demonstrated by figures showing the North West has 22 public charging points per 100,000 people, the North East has 33 and Yorkshire & The Humber just 21.

A robust, reliable and fit-for-purpose public charging infrastructure is central to mainstream adoption of EVs

The current postcode lottery when it comes to accessing a convenient public charging point may also be contributing to a new driver phenomenon – ‘charging anxiety’. The Volkswagen Financial Services UK data insights team believes ‘range anxiety’ among consumers – when drivers fear electric vehicles would not travel far enough on a single charge to get them where they needed to go – has now been replaced by ‘charging anxiety’. This translates into worries that the current public charging infrastructure is not widespread, accessible or reliable enough to alleviate driver uncertainties when they

are contemplating longer journeys across the nation. It is hoped that the government’s £450m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which will fund projects such as EV hubs and on-street charging solutions, will go some way to alleviating the regional disparities, but concerns over a lack of overall public chargepoints are perhaps misplaced. Moreover, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) showing that 2021 saw the biggest annual increase in EV registrations with 191,000 BEVs registered, taking the total on UK roads to more than 395,000 – an annual growth of 92% from 2020 – the nationwide roll-out of public chargepoints must keep pace with demand for electric cars. We have never had more EVs on our roads than we do right now, which is fantastic news, but the challenge is to ensure that the public charging network keeps pace with the rising popularity of electric cars. It’s fair to say that a postcode lottery of public chargepoints exists in the UK and may be contributing to perceived charging anxiety among EV drivers, but significant government funding coupled with ambitious decarbonisation targets should ensure this problem levels out. However, as our research shows, the conundrum of a lack of overall public charging points is a common misconception, as the number of home chargepoints is largely ignored. The focus now should be on making sure that public chargepoints are easily accessible via contactless payment, are reliable and deliver the advertised power (particularly relevant for ultra-rapid chargers), and are evenly spread in sufficient numbers across the UK.” Mike Coulton is EV consultant at Volkswagen Financial Services UK

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:16 Page 14

VIEWPOINT

How secure is your network? IT security is vital for the future of e-mobility, says Cecilia Routledge Technology and cyber-security go hand-inhand and embrace more and more areas of our lives, including transportation. So many of the products we surround ourselves with in everyday life are connected to networks and the internet, they ‘talk’ to our surroundings, and are controlled via the remote controls of our time, apps on our smartphones. People often don’t consider that these devices have little or no security technology installed and are therefore vulnerable to abuse and the electric vehicle (EV) itself, containing sophisticated computerised systems, full of valuable information, is also likely to become increasingly attractive targets for cyber criminals. For a hacker, there are several access points, such as the built-in Bluetooth system, or in the app where you can update software. Here, malware can be installed so that attackers can connect to the car, which in the worst case scenario can pose a major threat to drivers. Right now, there are no cyber-security standards in this field, and with an estimated 460,000 EVs and 380,000 plugin hybrids already on Britain’s roads, and with sales likely to increase rapidly as we head along the ‘Road to Zero’, this is something that needs addressing urgently.

A check list CTEK is offering the following advice to business fleet and IT managers, and EV charging network operators, to ensure their EV charging installations are as secure as possible, while limiting access for hackers. • Check that the charging equipment you are using has an OCPP 1.6 certificate from the Open Charge Alliance, the global consortium of public and private EV infrastructure leaders that have come together to promote open standards through the adoption of the OCPP. • Consider if a Wi-Fi connection is the best solution for you. Many business customers today choose communication through an ethernet cable, rather than Wi-Fi. A Wi-Fi solution can work in many cases, but you must pay attention to IT security, so as to limit access for hackers. A physical ethernet cable is always more secure than a wireless connection. • Company IT managers should be involved in the decision on how the charging system should be designed. • Use a secure application programming interface (API). • Turn off smart devices when not in use. • Keep software regularly updated.

CTEK is taking greater responsibility for the cyber security of its systems

Technology and cyber-security go hand-in-hand

Vehicle manufacturers and chargepoint manufacturers, like CTEK, along with suppliers and app developers all need to take greater responsibility for cyber safety, and CTEK’s in-house software developers are working continuously to ensure that their back end systems maintain the very highest levels of security. So far as the EV charging point itself is concerned, security is provided through the adoption of Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), which provides a standard for communication between different manufacturers’ charging stations and with back end systems. OCPP includes security protocols that are under constant development, and all CTEK’s chargepoints are fully OCPP compliant. OCPP 2.0.1 has improvements in security, including the addition of secure firmware updates, secure logging and event notification and secure profiles for authentication (key management for client-side certificates) and secure communication (TLS). However, some operators and service providers don’t want their charging data going through the chargepoint manufacturer’s network or cloud solution, partly for security and partly for privacy reasons and this may present some issues.

In newer versions of OCPP2, for example, there is a requirement that the charging station should also be identified, either by password or by a client certificate, and if the server for the chargepoint manufacturer’s cloud solution needs a password or certificate, the entire OCPP security set-up will fail. This suggests that operators and service providers who currently limit or prevent access to the chargepoint manufacturer’s network or cloud solution must find other solutions in the near future. In larger charging networks, it has now become common to use Wi-Fi for communication between the charging stations themselves, and for communication with the load balancing system that controls and regulates the power supply going to the chargers. What’s important to consider then is that the Wi-Fi network can also then be an access point for hackers to the building’s computer network. Cecilia Routledge is global director energy and facilities for CTEK

EVolution | July 2022

EVolution#5_July22.qxp_PR362_p21-35 13/07/2022 18:10 Page 15

TECHNOLOGY

Wireless charging is on track Arena del Futuro project demonstrates dynamic inductive recharging Stellantis has been running field tests of dynamic induction electric charging for electric vehicles (EVs) at the Arena of the Future in Italy. During months of testing at the Arena del Futuro circuit in Chiari, the global car manufacturer and its project partners demonstrated the capability of dynamic wireless power transfer (DWPT) technology to wirelessly recharge EVs as they travel over specially equipped, dedicated road lanes. DWPT is a system of coils positioned under the asphalt that transfers energy directly to cars, trucks and buses without the need to stop at charging stations to refill the battery. The technology can be adapted for all vehicles equipped with a special “receiver” that transfers the energy incoming from the road infrastructure directly to the electric motor, extending the range, while conserving the vehicle battery charge. The pilot project is coordinated by A35 Brebemi, a company owned by Aleatica, a global transportation infrastructure operator that focusses on sustainable and innovative mobility solutions.

The Arena de Futuro test track

“Our long-term strategic plan, Dare Forward 2030, is based on the premise of bringing ‘cutting-edge freedom of mobility’ to all and this project is the very essence of where we’re headed as a company,” said Anne-Lise Richard, head of global emobility business unit, Stellantis. “Working with this incredible group of partners, we have proven that inductive recharging technology can power our electrified future. These joint projects are exciting steps as we work to achieve longer battery lifespan, lower range anxiety, greater energy efficiency, smaller battery size, outstanding

performance and lower weight and cost.” Work at Arena del Futuro shows that a battery electric vehicle, like the Fiat New 500 outfitted to test the system, can travel at typical highway speeds without consuming the energy stored in its battery. Tests are showing that the efficiency of the energy flow from the asphalt to the car is comparable to the typical efficiency of fast charging stations, so the driver does not need to stop to recharge. Furthermore, measurements on magnetic field intensity prove that there is no impact on the driver and passengers.

Off-grid charging system wins highways competition A flameless combustion system which allows green off-grid electric car charging has been created by an entrant in a competition funded by National Highways. The technology, developed by London-based climate technology company IPG, features a patented combustion process that produces the chemical reaction of combustion without the flame from any renewable fuel. The company was one of 13 successful entrants in an innovation competition run by National Highways and Innovate UK. The competition encouraged technologists to come up with ideas to change the way roads are designed, managed and used with innovations that can be taken up across the transport sector. Unlike traditional combustion technologies, IPG’s flameless combustion uses a hot air stream above the temperature at which any fuel, including green hydrogen, biofuels, or methane, will undergo spontaneous combustion. This creates an environment where reactions can be precisely controlled to reduce carbon emissions and prevent the formation of other

EVolution | July 2022

The Flameless generator pollutants such as nitrous oxides and carbon monoxide. Toby Gill, chief executive of IPG said:“Integrating modular and scalable renewable-fuelled power generation into our suite of solutions can help to bring electric vehicle charging to those locations where grid availability or stability is limiting electrification. This partnership with National Highways has been instrumental in defining where our technology will make the most impact and has been invaluable to get to the next stage of our innovation journey.” National Highways hopes to ultimately eliminate carbon emissions from the strategic road

network. The government-owned company has set itself a target to cut carbon emissions through its own operations to net zero by 2030, while the target for road maintenance and construction will be hit by 2040 and all road users by 2050. Annette Pass, head of innovation, said:“The competition may have come to an end now but the journey for the businesses that took part will continue a long time into the future. “Decarbonisation is a key priority for the government and National Highways. We have charging points within 20 minutes of wherever you are on the motorway but they currently only cater for a small number of electric vehicles, and as those numbers increase it’s very important that we can cater for that.” Karla Jakeman, connected travel lead at Innovate UK, said:“Innovate UK was delighted to be supporting National Highways and innovation in the transport sector through the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI). This proven route to develop test and trial innovation offers vital funding to innovative organisations – helping them to develop solutions in partnership with the public sector.”

Solar car park developer 3ti hits funding target 3ti, a designer, installer, funder and operator of solar car parks (SCPs), raised a £500,000 investment pot within an hour of opening its first crowdfunding round publicly. The funding will accelerate the roll-out of 3ti’s pop-up mini solar car park and electric vehicle charging hub, Papilio3. The initial target on Crowdcube was exceeded within an hour, but the funding round will remain open for 28 days. Launched in May 2022 at the Surrey Research Park, hosted by the University of Surrey, Guildford, Papilio3 can be deployed within 24 hours and provides up to 12 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints. It integrates three technologies that are normally considered independently – solar electricity generation, battery energy storage systems and EV chargepoints. “That we almost instantly achieving our initial investment target demonstrates a public belief in 3ti’s technology and our vision for renewable energy solutions,” said 3ti founder Tim Evans.

PR362_P21_Awards.qxp_PR362_p36-37 13/07/2022 16:52 Page 20

Presented by