New Google Maps EV Charger Feature A Bellwether For Accelerating Infrastructure Development

This week, Google announced that it's map feature will now show EV Charging Stations across the world, including information and imagery relating to each point. Consumer demand has driven this enhancement as the market has entered a dynamic phase in EV adoption. By 2030 Ireland is due to have banned the sale of new patrol/diesel cars - suddenly this is very much on the radar as consumers realise that the cars they buy now may have very different outcomes when it comes to holding their value in the near future.

In Ireland, there are over 1100 charging stations across the country. Range anxiety is less of an issue in a smaller country and the government's SEAI grants allow new EV owners to kit out their dwellings for home charging (providing the ability to capitalise on low tariff night rates).

Commercially, high profile companies such as Lidl have committed to adding charging facilities to all new stores whilst retrofitting others. Facebook, Musgraves, the NTMA, municipal buildings, hotels and shopping centres are installing charge points across their sites, getting ahead of the upcoming increase in demand.

Likewise, the UK currently has around 13,000 public charging points - a five-fold increase since 2011. Their government has also announced a ban on new fossial fuel cars, starting from 2040. British multinational oil and gas company BP recently purchased EV Charging provider Chargemaster, placing them firmly in the market.

At a global level, a Grand View Research EV forecast report reports that in Japan, there are now more EV Charging Points than petrol stations. China has invested very heavily in its infrastructure to meet its mammoth goal of 5 million EVs on the road by 2020. In North America the Charging Infrastructure market will be worth $18.6bn by 2030.

There will be as many as 40 million charging points globally by 2030 as electric vehicles are forecast to make up about 11 percent of new sales, the report said.

 

Sources

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/electric/electric-charging-stations-uk-find-nearest-ev-charging-point-best-journey-planner-for-electric-cars/

http://www.abettertomorrow-lidl.ie/news/lidl-ireland-commits-to-the-largest-network-of-electric-vehicle-charging-points-across-irish-supermarket-sector/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-02/u-s-electric-vehicle-charging-market-to-grow-to-18-6-billion


https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/electric-vehicle-charger-and-charging-station-market