.jpg)
In this article, we will look at the current state and immense potential of eMobility. We will also look at the challenges the industry faces for the technology to take off.
Reading time:
Electric transport offers a cleaner, quieter, and more cost-effective alternative to fuel-powered solutions. And for the average Electric Vehicle (EV) driver this difference is felt too.
EV technology offers smoother driving, much less maintenance plus the ability to get powered up in many places including at home. But it isn't only private people that can benefit from this new technology. By investing in eMobility services, businesses can utilise new opportunities serving both growth and sustainability imperatives.
In recent years, the need for efficient, and sustainable solutions in mobility have become increasingly urgent as the climate crisis emerges. Here, electrification offers a feasible alternative to traditional methods of transportation. Thus, the potential for eMobility to improve our energy consumption is immense.
Before we dive into the potential of eMobility, lets clarify what the term means.
While the term has only recently been coined, eMobility solutions have been in development for decades. The first electric vehicle was in fact invented around year 1832. Yet fuel-powered cars quickly surpassed the invention as they were easier to manufacture and fuel was cheap back then.
Aside from cars, eMobility refers to all electricity-powered means of transportation including public and personal transportation. eMobility therefore includes the use of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid vehicles but also scooters, bikes, trucks, trains, busses, planes, and boats among the most common transport options. As of today, electric vehicles are the most capable and adapted form of electric mobility although other machinery is on the edge of successful electrification as well.
Lastly, eMobility also refers to the charging services and solutions it takes to keep them going.
Now, as the world becomes increasingly aware of the necessity for sustainable transportation, the time is ripe for this technology to take off – and for building the necessary charging solutions and infrastructure.
A great plus of eMobility is connected to the nature of electricity-powered technology. Because electricity is supplied almost anywhere, you can install charging stations for EVs in myriad locations - unlike the case with traditional cars that need gas stations. This enables businesses, and anyone with property, to install charging stations at their locations and thereby contribute to the electric transition.
The benefits of providing charging services are many but overall, businesses can enjoy improving their sustainability efforts while making an earning from the power consumption – all while potentially attracting more customers that also happen to need charging services.
For businesses with fleet activity electric transport can provide benefits such as savings in operational costs and time due to the flexibility advantages of the EV technology.
Workspaces have a special advantage when offering charging services to guests and employees; the option to charge at work is especially convenient. Chargers being placed where drivers usually need to park for several hours e.g., while working, is very useful to the drivers. By having chargers available at their workplace, they avoid having to plan and stop to charge on the go, allowing them to saving time.
The convenience of supplying parking spots with chargers shows the potential for numerous industries. Real estate, hotel and accommodation are among great examples, as the ability to charge overnight covers the need of many EV drivers.
In fact, eMobility encourages economic growth in most industries since the majority need transport either for their products, their customers, or for their employees.
Besides the benefits for businesses themselves, their investment in charging infrastructure is a huge help to the average EV driver, as it can seriously increase the options for charging on an everyday basis.
It's not difficult to conclude that the turn to electric transportation comes with new business opportunities. When looking at the trend, it seems more and more like a miss not to take part.
Seen as the number of EVs sold reaches unprecedented levels each year, the investments in charging services can actually be seen as a way of future proofing societies. And the race to keep up has already begun a while ago, because without flexible and up-to-speed transportation, not much will function in today’s modern societies – including the operations and services of businesses.
Yet switching to electric driving requires both change of habits and mindset, and last but not least capital. And adding to this the technology was questioned for its sustainability a few times during the years. These are some of the reasons why, scepticism is still common.
And it is both a fair and important to ask questions; why invest in this particular technology? And is it even that much greener of a choice? Let’s dive into that.
The short answer to weather eMobility is more sustainable that fossil-fueled eMobility is yes. eMobility has huge potential to reduce the carbon emissions caused by transportation, which currently accounts for over 25% of global CO2 emissions.
And in nations like the U.S. the transportation sector uses almost 50% of the total energy produced. With eMobility solutions the consumption will certainly be less polluting and potentially smaller too.
Replacing fuel with electricity has significant CO2-saving benefits. If electric transport is fully implemented, it could result in a reduction of CO2 emissions by around 43% and reduce oil demand by around 37%. But the smart part is energy that electrification can reduce the energy demand itself by around 25%.
EV technology holds incredible options for energy optimization enabling smarter energy consumption on a global scale.
Greater energy efficiency is more easily feasible as smart charging technologies spread across the world. These technologies allow timing of the EV charging which means that the car only charges at times with e.g. a surplus of energy or when the demand is low – or when the electricity comes from sustainable sources like solar or wind power. This way the energy consumption can both be more efficient and greener.
This means that smart charging technologies enable decreased consumption by utilising the naturally produced energy better - plus countries wouldn’t have to ramp up their production of electricity during peak hours. Smart charging is then not only cheaper but also less polluting seen as the peak-hour electricity supply is usually not generated sustainably by burning fossil fuels.
Adding even more benefits, using the EV’s battery as a power storage unit that can release energy back to the grid is also on the rise. This means that EVs can decrease the waist of sustainable energy and help balance the demand with the stored energy.
One of the most important advantages electrifying both transportation and machinery in the production industry is improved air quality and thereby public health – particularly for people living in densely populated areas.
Air pollution is one of the most serious global challenges. In fact, it has been estimated that it caused the premature death of 3 million people in 2015, and the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed it as one of the top 10 global health risks.
Public transportation systems and services are crucial for cities that are experiencing rapid population growth. And here the implementation of electric public transportation can reduce the toxic emissions that cause air pollution, thereby improving the public health.
The advantages of eMobility are many, yet the industry is still a peanut in comparison to the fuel-car industry.
To make EVs the obvious choice, it is crucial to invest in the implementation of the necessary infrastructure. Right now, the investment in charging is not quite keeping up.
One problem is that eMobility’s potential is not yet widely understood. Many people do not realize that eMobility can be implemented in a wide range of sectors and industries to their benefit.
Also, the charging habits that comes with driving electric, tend to scare some drivers off. Many fear running out of power from not having charging available nearby – and the rather slow investment in charging infrastructure doesn’t help.
Global challenges with climate change and energy shortage, seem to make drivers and investors start to catch up. It simply takes time to spread out technology that is this different.
The potential of eMobility is immense. Besides the convenience and flexibility of the technology, it can decrease CO2 emissions, lower power supply issues, improve air quality – and it’s estimated that the industry can create around 3 million jobs.
As the world becomes increasingly aware of these benefits, many governments are pushing the implementation of eMobility solutions. For instance, France has announced plans to ban the sale of diesel and gasoline cars by 2040, and Norway has set an even earlier date of 2025. Similarly, the United Kingdom has set a goal to end the sale of diesel and petrol cars by 2040, and China has announced a ban on the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. Other countries, including India, Italy, and the Netherlands, have set goals to end the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030.
These government initiatives show the rising understanding of the potential e-Mobility solutions hold and the increasing global effort to create a more sustainable future.
Curious about what it takes to offer quality charging services that keep any driver content? We provide a full-service platform to businesses, that enable them to build, operate, and grow their charging solutions.