News Archive - EVs

EV Charging – a structured approach

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EV charging night scene

At the end of February 2022, there were more than 780,000 plug-in electric vehicles registered in the UK.

The growth in consumer demand brought about by the greater availability of vehicles and government support is having to be met by a UK EV charging point infrastructure that continues to develop as companies seek to play their part in decarbonising the economy.

Take the Motor Fuel Group (MFG) as an example, the UK’s leading independent forecourt operator is investing c.£400 million in Ultra-Rapid 150kW and 350kW EV Chargers (“Ultra-Rapid 150kW and 350kW EV Chargers”) across its network (currently 918 sites) in the next decade.

MFG will install a total of c.3,000 Ultra-Rapid 150kW and 350kW EV Chargers at c.500 sites by the end of 2030.

London has Lion’s share of EV Charging points

Overall, more than 50,000 charging points exist in the UK at nearly 19,000 different locations, a third of which are in the Greater London Area, according to zap-map.com.

Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) are inundated with enquiries to add load to their networks and it’s important to ensure they are armed with the right information to understand the needs of the consumer and facilitate any subsequent supply upgrade requests.

At Energy Management, we have a dedicated team that has proven experience in the rollout of EV charging infrastructure for businesses.

Here’s our step-by-step guide to the process:\

Pre-installation survey/review

  • Identify site locations where EV chargers will be installed, please provide plan of site showing charger locations
  • Identify how many and what size chargers are to be installed at each site
  • Confirm charger make and model. Data relating to harmonics may be required by some DNOs
  • Confirm operational mode 1, 2, 3, 4
  • Calculate the extra electricity capacity required to install EV chargers
  • Confirm constrained or unconstrained operation (capacity limited at certain times of the day)
  • Identify the “Available Capacity” for each site (this will be taken from the “Connection Agreement”)
  • Download HH data for each site and calculate the maximum demand in KVA
  • Calculate if there is enough capacity to install EV charging using the existing connection agreement
  • For many sites, we will need to request extra capacity from the DNO
  • For some sites a new dedicated supply might be the better option

What next?

Electricity Supply – No Capacity Upgrade Required

If an existing electricity supply can be used to feed the EV charger/s, there will be no requirement to request a change to the connection agreement; however, an Energy Networks Association (ENA) Notification form will need to be submitted to the local DNO to confirm it can be connected to the network regardless of capacity. 

Electricity Supply – Capacity Upgrade Required

Where a connection agreement requires uplifting to a level where EV charging can be supported, we will submit an application to the local DNO and also complete the ENA form. A request will be made to see if the extra power calculated to support the site can be secured and how much the upgrade will cost.

The quotation will provide the cost for “contestable work” such as trenching and “non-contestable work” such as connecting to the electricity network. To date, we have received quotations ranging from £3,500 to £80,000 depending on the scale of the job.

This would also be applicable should the EV charger have its own supply from the DNO rather than a connection from the existing supply.

Connection of New Supply

To enable a larger capacity agreement, the amount of work to secure this will vary, as highlighted below.

  • Paperwork exercise – no physical works
  • Fuse upgrade – the DNO will increase incoming fuse sizes, there could be upgrades to customer switchgear required to match.
  • Complete upgrade of DNO’s incoming mains position, this will require physical works for both DNO and customers electrical contractor.

The final option is almost certainly going to result in the disconnection of the old supply and the installation of a new one. 

Where this is the case, the old supply identification number (MPAN) will be replaced with a new MPAN. A meter operator contract, data aggregator/collector contract and a new electricity supply contract will be procured a minimum of 8 weeks before the electricity supply is to be connected.

Even if the old electricity supply contract has a long duration left to run, a new contract will be produced using current wholesale energy rates and non-commodity costs. At present this can be an uplift of 90%.

If you would like to know more about our EV installation infrastructure service, please get in touch with Stuart Newbury on 01225-867722 or email sn@usrjonn

Business motors ahead in Electric Vehicle take-up

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Affordability and a lack of confidence in the charging infrastructure are two of the factors holding back consumers from buying EVs.

However, due to stronger incentives in the business world, the take-up has been much greater – almost double.

To support organisations looking to install electric vehicle charging facilities at their workplace, the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) provides a grant – The Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS).

Plug-In grants are available to the public but the government has recently been criticised for reducing them by £500.

Analysis of new car registrations in 2020 by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that just 4.6 per cent of privately bought cars were battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – compared to 8.7 per cent for businesses and large fleets.

Consumers registered 34,324 pure electric vehicles in 2020, compared to 73,881 corporate registrations, it was reported at the trade body’s day-long industry conference last week.

The number of fully electric Uber cars in London, for example, has increased from 100 to 1,600. Whilst this still represents a small percentage of its 45,000-strong fleet in the capital, the will to go electric is clearly there.

The SMMT said: “Ahead of the phase out of new pure petrol and diesel car and van sales in 2030, manufacturers have invested billions in new technology, with plug-ins now accounting for one in four of new car models available – with one in 10 powered purely by electricity.”

Given the rising uptake, the installation of more on-site charging points is a top priority for businesses and public sector bodies helping to drive through the green revolution.

If you want to know about the EV infrastructure installation options available to you, please get in touch with one of our advisors or click here to submit a no-obligation enquiry.

EV sales hit the breaks

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We take a look at how the coronavirus is affecting the Electric Vehicle (EV) market

Until the coronavirus took hold, 2020 was shaping up to be a big year for sales of EVs and the development of EV charging infrastructure in the UK. But like a lot of best-laid plans, this is no longer the case and the number of charge points available to drivers of EVs remains at 340. These can be located via the website, Zap-Map.

In the 12 months prior to the pandemic, EV sales had jumped by 144% but they are now set to take a nosedive. Rather than move into the fast lane of the car world, sales of EVs are forecast to plummet by as much as 43% in 2020.

Nissan has taken the decision to halt production of EVs, aware that there won’t be the demand for them given the restrictions on travel and the insecure financial position many people find themselves in.

Tesla, the world’s highest-profile EV manufacturer, had targeted production of half-a-million EVs this year but due to the manufacturing slowdown and economic concerns, that looks highly ambitious.

However, there are still some EV schemes going ahead amidst the crisis, with Siemens announcing at the end of March that they had just completed the UK’s first whole street of lamp post to EV charge point conversions.

The first EV-only motorway service station is also set to be unveiled in Braintree, Essex this summer. When fully operational, the site will have 24 rapid chargers, a supermarket, and an EV education centre.

While the number of car journeys has dramatically reduced since the lockdown period was enforced, key workers still need to get to and from their place of employment and, as a result, Pod Point is reportedly continuing with home charger installations for people operating in the frontline of this crisis who rely on EVs as their mode of transport.

For more information  on how Energy Management can assist with EV infrastructure please contact one of the team on: 01225 867722 / sales@energymanagementltd.com

EVs sales hit record high in 2019

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More electric cars were registered in the UK during 2019 than any other year to date, as diesel car registrations fell by more than one-fifth on a year-on-year basis – but EVs still make up a very small percentage of overall car sales (1.6% market share).

That is according to new industry data released today (6 January) by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMTT).

The data reveals that the number of new car registrations fell by 2.4% between 2018 and 2019 – a trend the SMTT attributes, in part, to environmental concerns and anticipation around incoming clean air legislation. The largest fall was recorded in diesel cars – 21.8% fewer were registered in 2019 than in 2018.

While noting that registration of new petrol vehicles rose slightly (2.2%) on a year-on- year basis, the SMTT’s data reveals far more rapid growth in the electric car space, with year-on-year registrations up 144%. The figure covers solely fully electric vehicles. 6

Hybrid electric vehicles, meanwhile, experienced a 17.1% year-on-year registration increase, despite Government cuts to the Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) scheme.

The SMTT said in a statement, “While the huge increase in battery electric vehicle demand is welcome, their 1.6% market share is still tiny and underlines the progress needed to reach the 50-70% share the government envisages in the next 10 years The body has additionally voiced concerns that the national car market experienced its third consecutive annual decline in 2019, which it attributes to “weak business and consumer confidence, general political and economic instability and confusion over clean air zones.”

It is calling for more national policies to buck this trend in the face of Brexit, claiming that Government action is crucial to unlocking further investment in the electric vehicle (EV) transition.

“A stalling market will hinder industry’s ability to meet stringent new CO2 targets and, importantly, undermine wider environmental goals,” SMTT chief executive Mike Hawes said. “We urgently need more supportive policies: investment in infrastructure; broader measures to encourage uptake of the latest, low and zero- emission cars; and long-term purchase incentives to put the UK at the forefront of this technological shift.

“Industry is playing its part with a raft of exciting new models in 2020 and compelling offers but consumers will only respond if economic confidence is strong and the technology affordable.”

Of the 90 new car models due to launch in the UK in 2020, the SMTT has listed 23 as fully electric and 11 as plug-in-hybrids.

The findings from the SMTT come after Dyson axed its electric car project, which would have seen a new model manufactured and assembled in the UK, ready for a 2021 launch. Similarly, hybrid and fully electric models sold in the UK by the likes of Nissan, BMW and Vauxhall are now manufactured or assembled – either in full or in part – outside of the UK.

As sales grow, who takes ownership of charging capacity is a question that largely remains unaswered.

If you would like to know more about our EV infrastructure installation service, please visit our dedicated page by clicking HERE.

Article source: Edie.net

Electric Vehicles – who’s in charge?

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Who will charge our electric vehicles?

The UK’s Electric Car (EV) market is constantly growing and the growing demand for charging capacity will be met by dedicated charger companies, utilities and the government, rather than car makers themselves.

Research shows that very few of the 60 plus car brands operating in the UK are putting funds towards charging infrastructure. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders admitted: “We consider it is up to the private operators and the government.”

The boss of the PSA group, which owns Peugeot, has declared he does not see charging networks as a core business activity, even with this potentially affecting the sales of EVs due to concern over the lack of charging opportunities – as well as the EVs lack of range.

Ford buck the trend

However, Ford is an exception and has opened 350kW fast-charge sites in the UK as a plan to mirror the Tesla supercharger network.

Volkswagen, Hyundai, Kia, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Mini and Porsche are all part of Ionity, founded by Ford. Ionity has three sites that are operational with a fourth being built.

In 2012, Nissan became co-funder of the Ecotricity 50kW charging network, which has now got up to 300 charging points. This marked the limit of its public charging investment, though.

If the government aims to expand EV use, with the aim of sales going up 50%-75% by 2030, a significant expansion of the charging network is needed.

5 challenges facing the EV revolution

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UK government’s commitment to Net Zero Carbon emissions – they’ve pledged to ban all petrol and diesel cars by 2040 – and improvements in battery technology, allowing even faster charging, have also contributed to an upsurge in sales of Electric Vehicles (EVs).

However, there are still a number of obstacles that need to be overcome before the United Kingdom catches up with other countries where the take-up has been much higher.

Here’s our rundown of 5 challenges faced with the EV Revolution.

1. Change takes time – EV Revolution

Encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) is at the heart of the government’s efforts to tackle climate change. This is due to transport accounting for 23% of the UK’s CO2 emissions.

With sales of electrical vehicles up 70 per cent on last year, things seem to be moving in the right direction; however, these are still only relatively small gains.

One of the UK’s best-selling cars is the all-electric Tesla Model 3. But its success doesn’t change the fact that only about 1.1% of new cars sold this year are electric

Bigger changes are needed to meet the government’s net-zero carbon emission target, starting with improved infrastructure (more EV charging points).

Changes to the tax system may also be required due to EV users paying lower taxes and having a zero-spend on fuel: both good sources of income for the government.

Consumers also need to be convinced that electric vehicles suit their needs, which is perhaps the hardest challenge.

Nonetheless, the government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2040, a move criticised by MPs who want the U.K to fall into line with nearby countries such as Ireland and Iceland and have the change made by 2030,

One of the consumers’ major concerns is range anxiety i.e. how far you can drive without your battery running down.

A petrol or diesel car is simple to fill up when fuel gets low, and doesn’t take long – unless you get distracted by the goods on offer in the garage shop!

If things were as straightforward with EVs, selling them wouldn’t be that much of a problem, but they’re not.

The vehicles currently on the market don’t last more than 100 miles and take over 8 hours to charge – this is a hurdle that needs overcoming before silencing the doubters.

2. Limited choice

The number of vans on the UK roads are increasing faster than any other type of vehicle due to the increase in online shopping.

Small e-vans are already available, and the choice is likely to increase. However, it is a lot more expensive to lease an EV version of a popular van than diesel, meaning they are still too expensive to be the vehicle of choice of smaller businesses.

ev-revolution-energy-mangement

There is much more choice for car buyers, although the upfront cost for buying an EV is still much higher than buying a petrol/diesel car, at a minimum of £20,000. Prices are likely to fall as electric vehicles are cheaper to run than gas but not for the foreseeable future.

3. Backing the right technology

There has been accelerated developments in battery and charging technology, but where will people charge them, especially those without a driveway or designated parking space.

The expense of battery technology is one of the major challenges the industry faces.

Electric cars could also be less expensive if the makers could ramp up the production volume and use economies of scale. However, for this to happen more consumers need to buy electric cars in the first place which won’t happen without prices coming down.

There is also the potential to have induction pads embedded in the roads that charge the vehicles as you drive over them. With chargers currently in low supply, the benefits of this technology are obvious.

4. Who will pay?

It has been widely assumed that both the private sector and local councils will build, operate and maintain charging infrastructure in the UK.

Businesses have been slow to get involved due to small profit margins and the government having heavily subsided the development of charging points. Yet, this is slowly changing with BP and Shell taking over as market leaders, while Tesla is putting its own charging network in place at motorway service stations.

5. The zero-carbon fantasy

A world in which all vehicles are electric is not the total zero-carbon solution. True, EVs don’t produce the same emissions but there would still be an environmental cost.

Sourcing minerals for batteries and dismantling old ones, as well as delivering and building vehicles all involve substantial CO2 emissions.

That said, the EV Revolution is a crucial part of the UK’s attempts to drastically reduce transport’s emissions.

Source: BBC

How to embrace the silent revolution of EVs

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revolution of EVs

Energy Management reveals its best-practice approach to installing EV (Electric Vehicle) charging points on your premises.

Revolution of EVs

The climate emergency declared by Parliament earlier this year has placed a further onus on the UK’s business community to reduce its carbon emissions.

Businesses can help drive down carbon use by encouraging employees to use EVs on their commute to work, but without enough charging points on-site, this goal is hard to achieve.

Prominent people in the energy industry are now calling on companies to lobby for more EV charging points for its employees as a result.

If successful, this will open up a host of challenges which may be new to the business concerned but not to us at Energy Management.

Energy Management has expert knowledge in this sector and can guide you through the whole process and the revolution of EVs.

Here’s our four-step approach to making the switch as pain-free as possible.

1. Initial scoping

We work with you to establish initial requirements.

  • Understanding of physical limitations of the site
  • Distribution Network Operator (DNO) enquiries
  • Establish current site loading
  • Evaluate green credentials

2. Plan of action

Energy Management collates, analyses and presents the best options available.

  • Liaise with the DNO and obtain costings for necessary upgrades
  • Review DNO proposals
  • High Voltage or Low Voltage point of connection
  • Remain flexible on approach as schemes can often change

3. Installation

How we manage the installation process:

  • Ongoing liaison with DNO or ICP to completion of works.
  • Partnering with SSE Contracting to deliver any high voltage/low voltage projects
  • Partnering with Energy Metering Technology to provide complete AM&T packages
  • Fiscal metering MOP contracts and installation
  • Procurement of competitive supply contracts

4. Innovative solutions

Our expertise enables us to meet any challenges head-on, such as those below:

  • CHP
  • Battery storage

For more information on how Energy Management can help your business engage with EV charging, contact a member of the team on 01225-867722 or email sales@energymanagementltd.com