Page 22 - EE Times Europe September 2021

22 EE|Times EUROPE

SPECIAL REPORT: EVs
Price, Range, Choice Are Keys to BEV Success

By Egil Juliussen

he expansion of charging infrastruc- The US$100/kWh price yields a price tag of Home charging for BEVs is a great benefit
ture is among the keys to future US$6,000 for a 60-kWh battery system. but primarily works for BEV owners with
battery electric vehicle (BEV) suc- BNEF forecasts a battery price of a garage. A large BEV charging network is
T cess, as is the ability to recycle and US$58/kWh in 2030, meaning the 60-kWh required in every country to ensure successful
swap batteries. battery system will cost less than US$3,500 in BEV adoption.
BEVs are on a growth path and on the way 2030. That forecast shows that BEVs are on a Charging frequency is also important,
to surpassing internal combustion engine path to lower purchase prices than ICEVs. depending on annual miles driven and BEV
vehicles (ICEVs) in a decade or so. EVs are far Additionally, there are many other BEV range. The current range of newer models is
from perfect, however, and will require many systems advancing in multiple ways. Volume more than 250 miles, with some BEV models
improvements to live up to their promise of use of BEV technology is only a decade old, exceeding 400 miles. Larger battery size and
greatly lowering auto emissions. To continue and there is much innovation to come — from better powertrain efficiency are expected to
BEV growth, technology advances are needed, motor and charging technology to solar cells increase BEV range significantly in the future.
along with continued investments from auto on car roofs and much more. The average annual total of miles driven
OEMs and their suppliers. Car buyers will per car in the U.S. is 13,500 miles, based on
need more data, more product variety, and CHARGING TIME 2019 Federal Highway Administration data.
much-improved infrastructure for using BEVs. BEVs currently require long charging If we assume a BEV range of 300 miles and
The table below provides an overview of times, depending on the power available at a recharge averaging every 250 miles, the
what BEV improvements are needed. charging points. Using 115-V or 220-V cur- result is approximately a weekly recharging
rent usually means overnight charging. Fast (54 times per year). However, range anxiety is
LOWER PRICES chargers that can charge in 30 to 60 minutes likely to create more recharging events. BEV
Declining BEV purchase price remains the are becoming more widely available, but owners with home charging are also likely to
most important factor for many potential much more is needed. charge their vehicles more often.
buyers — at least until BEVs reach price This long charging time is a significant
parity with other popular auto segments. In disadvantage versus refueling a gas tank in CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
2020, the average price per kilowatt-hour was just a few minutes. The expansion of a charging infrastructure is
US$137, according to BloombergNEF (BNEF). BEV charging is improving via both a key factor in future BEV success. Accessible
Some BEV manufacturers, including Tesla, higher-power and faster-charging systems, charging stations will be required for BEV
offer lower battery prices. and future battery technologies will feature users without a home charger and will be
The typical battery size for BEVs is about faster-charging technology. The improve- needed for all long-distance travel.
60 kWh, which means the batteries cost ments are not sufficient to match ICEV Where to locate charging stations will be
about US$8,200 at the US$137 price point. refueling times but will probably be good important in minimizing the impact of BEVs’
ICEV price parity for BEVs is about enough for the vast majority of BEV users. It long charging times. Existing gas station net-
US$100/kWh, which is likely to happen as is possible that future BEV charging technol- works will certainly add BEV charging points
early as 2023, according to battery experts. ogy will match ICEV refueling time. to attract business, including the potential
higher product sales from BEV owners. With
longer refueling times, BEVs’ profitable prod-
uct sales may be larger than for ICEVs.
BEV charging locations need to be where
owners regularly spend an hour or so. This
includes workplaces, shopping centers,
restaurants, and other entertainment venues.
Tesla is using this approach as part of its
charging network location strategy.
Wireless charging is becoming popular for
smartphones. Similar technologies are avail-
able for BEVs but are not yet ready for volume
deployment. Most wireless charging technol-
ogies are more efficient than wired charging
because the wireless systems generate less
heat. On the other hand, wireless chargers are
more complex to deploy than wired versions.
BEVs must also be modified to include the
electronics for wireless charging.
Battery swapping, instead of charging,
is another option. Speed is the key advan-
tage. Battery swapping is primarily available
in China, with strong growth of the trend
expected. China has adopted a standard for

SEPTEMBER 2021 | www.eetimes.eu