How will we move in 50 years? How well connected will our transportation be? What is essential for seamless integration?
MOVE America‘s keynote panel Connectivity and Integration: How we move and how we groove shed some light into the critical solutions and aspects of these very questions and more.
The panel was moderated by John Kwant, executive director of 5G Automotive Association. Kwant was joined by Jeffrey DeCoux, chairman and autonomy fellow at the Autonomy Institute, who emphasised the need for infrastructure and investment in connectivity and 6G, suggested that investors should continue to invest in the development of smart cities.
DeCoux said:
“If we really want 6G+ networks and more connectivity, we need a new infrastructure and investment, investors spend billions on enabling smart cities”.
Jason JonMichael, transportation specialist at the United States Department of Transportation, added to the discussion by emphasised the longevity of new infrastructure beyond our lifetimes. He also highlighted the importance of avoiding heterogeneity.
JonMichael said:
“It’s up to us to figure out how to make the new infrastructure to carry on past our lives, the bills and investments are the activators that will drive it forward and keep it moving for 50 years, heterogeneity is something we need to stay away from”.
Also in the panel, we saw Sylvano Carrasco, VP of connected cars and partnerships at Getaround, who brought attention to the economic landscape of autonomous vehicles (AVs).
Carrasco said:
“Autonomous vehicles will be more expensive and will be more likely shared as they cause less accidents and are costly”.
Lastly in the panel, Michele Mueller, senior project manager for connected and AVs at the Michigan Department of Transportation, provided a vision of a safer future with AVs while still being committed to sustainability.
Mueller added:
“In 10 years’ time, I think AVs will be safer but we need to take an active interest in sustainability”
Importantly, the discussion carried on questioning the impediments in achieving a safer transportation system. Jason mentioned the regional disparities that challenge electrification and consumer adoption, while Jeff addressed the scepticism about AVs. Michele also jumped in added the importance of articulating a clear vision.
Overall, the panel’s discussion concluded that the transition of decades-old transit systems will require regional cooperation, adapting to innovative technologies like 6G and autonomy with sustainability as its priority. This necessity, though, begs for way more regional and federal partnerships and legislation to provide much-needed funding to facilitate this transition.
Day two at MOVE America 2023 is well and truly underway! Some fascinating discussions were held in the keynote theatre this morning between the biggest experts in the industry. Here’s what you missed…
The keynote panel The strategic supply chain that took place this morning, hosted by Liz Kerton, executive director at Autotech Council. Kerton guided the panel with questions for conversation, all with an overarching focus on the issues in the electric vehicle (EV) supply chain including a designated discussion on battery supply.
The panel was joined by a diverse range of experts to offer reliable and technical insight to the supply chain issue, including: Genevieve Cullen the president of the Electric Drive Transportation Association, Amir Tirosh the COO of StoreDot, and Ryan Castilloux the managing director of Adamas Intelligence.
The front-running question which loomed over the talk was how? when? and will? we get the vehicle industry to turn fully electric?
Genevieve Cullen said:
“0-100 is not what we’re solving for. We need to be continually innovating in this space to address battery chemistries and we need so much more infrastructure and the completion of all these steps in the middle to make it easier for consumers to adopt.”
It became apparent over the course of the discussion that the rate of EV adoption in America is at a less than favourable speed and that the European rate is significantly bigger.
Ryan Castilloux said:
“A bigger challenge for us is the long charging time for DVS. Even fast charging stations some can take upwards of 40 minutes to charge and when you factor in minus 30 temperatures and the reduction in rain to get that makes it challenging to go and see family of 500 kilometres away.”
The panellists bounced between ideas of increased infrastructure, localisation of of battery manufacturing plants, and refinement of operations in order to create a seamless supply chain and increase in EV adoption.
Amir Tirosh added:
“The supply chain is now changing, in the beginning everybody ran fast in a cylindrical way and now the EV makers are more mature that they understand more of what is they require. They’re starting to deal with new changes and advancements in EVs and we are going to have some kind of uniformity but it’s not there yet.”
The keynote talk wrapped up with an opinion round-up of whether the panellists are optimistic about the future electrification in America, which received a positive response from each panellist.
Tirosh perfectly summed up the talk about EV adoption, he said: “It’s not if we are going to get there, it’s how fast”.
Meet Paul Smith, COO and co-founder of DigiSure; a technology platform that enables data-driven insurance for OEMs, shared economy companies, and modern transport businesses.
DigiSure utilise their industry expertise and advanced technology to optimise processes within the entire insurance ecosystem; including screening and risk, policy administration, claims handling, and insurance program management.
In this interview Smith chats about which symptoms of insurance can arise in your company and its vehicles, what these symptoms look like, and how DigiSure aims to combat these risk symptoms before it’s too late. Smith also discusses the loss ratio concept – cost of claims relative to generated insurance premium – and how the company can help to keep this to a safe balance.
Exclusive insight is also given on what we can expect to see from DigiSure at MOVE America and what Smith’s panel “Making shared mobility profitable” will converse on in the Business Models theatre next week.
We can finally say it – only 1 week ‘till MOVE! We’re gearing up for an incredible two days of talks, networking, experience and much more. MOVE has become the critical meeting place for buyers and sellers across the mobility value chain. OEMs, transport operators, tech companies, energy companies, fast growing startups and policymakers gather every year to discover the next generation technologies being brought into the market place. This is where we partner…where we launch…where we connect…where we create…
Check out some last bits of important info, like who’s joining our tracks. With 24 tracks across 2 days, there is much to look forward to. Our tracks include:
Electric Vehicles – Smart Cities and Infrastructure – Autonomous Vehicles – Energy and Charging – Last Mile Delivery – Regulation – Liability & ESG, Fleet Management – Bus Trans – Truck Tech – Business Models – Autonomous Vehicles – Micromobility & Ability – Mapping, Navigation & Routes – MaaS – Ticketing, Revenue & Payments – Hydrogen & Alternative Fuels – Connectivity & 5G – V-Commerce & Dealerships – Tech, Data & Innovation – Battery Tech – Air/Drones.
Here is just a taster of what is to come…
Panel: The car-as-a-device: how OEMs are becoming the new software companies
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Sachin Raviram, Senior Group Manager, Software Defined Vehicle, General Motors
Jana Breikopft, CEO, Mercedes Pay
Frank McCleary, Partner, Porsche Consulting
Panel: Is non-ownership the vehicle model of the future?
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Jesal Trivedi, Product Lead, New Mobility Platforms, Ford
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Curtis Scott, Global Future Mobility Leader, AON
Matthew Kovisnky, Head of OEM and Mobility Partnerships, TURO
Panel: Building out American charging and what it means for all players
Moderator – Ben Prochazka, Executive Director, Electrification Coalition
Britta Gross, Director of Transportation, EPRI
Sean Ackley, Head of Charging and Energy, VinFast US
Lauren Skiver, COO, Transdev
Daniel Keh, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners
Panel: Autonomous now
Moderator – Grayson Brulte, Founder and CEO, Road to Autonomy
Suman Kharbanda, Vice President Advanced Technology & Innovation, FedEx
Sarah Searcy, Deputy Director of Innovation, NCDOT
Srinivas Gowda, VP of Autonomous, Navistar
Panel: Driving innovation across the mobility ecosystem
Moderator – Steve Tengler, Senior Contributor, Forbes
Steve Greenfield, CEO, Automotive Ventures
Andrew Glass Hastings, Executive Director, Open Mobility Foundation
Neil Brooker, COO, BMW Designworks
Panel: The strategic supply chain
Moderator – Pete Bigelow, Editor, Automotive News
Amir Torish, CBO, StoreDot
Genevieve Cullen, President, Electric Drive Transportation Association
Ryan Castilloux, Managing Director, ADAMAS Intelligence
Panel: Connectivity and integration: how we move and how we groove
Moderator – John Kwant, Executive Director, Americas, 5GAA
Jason JonMichael, Transportation Specialist (OSC), USDOT Research and Technology
Michele Mueler, Senior Project Manager, Connected and Automated Vehicles, Michigan Department of Transportation
Sylvano Carrasco, VP of Connected Cars, GetAround
Panel: The latest in MaaS subscription models
Moderator – Roger Lanctot, Director, TechInsights
Charlie Guo, Product Manager, Nissan
Jayesh Patel, SVP, Corporate Strategy Hertz
Matthew Iommi, CEO, Fetii
Panel: Circular batteries: how recycling programs are driving a sustainable battery ecosystem
Moderator – Emily Dreibelis, Reporter, PCMag (Moderator)
Steve Christensen, Executive Director, Responsible Battery Coalition
Megan O’Connor, CEO, Nth Cycle
Ganesh Iyer, CEO, NIO US
Albert Lipson, Principal Materials Scientist, Argonne National Laboratory
Written by Max Nurse-Bosley, GTM Analyst, Worldpay
Worldpay is the world’s global leading acquirer with 30+ years of experience in payments across 146 countries. As a Platinum Sponsor at MOVE America 2023, their team of vertical experts examines the trends and drivers for growth impacting the world of urban mobility today and identifies how an effective payment strategy can generate more revenue for businesses across the globe.
The highlighted insights below give us a sneak preview from their latest Future of EVC Payments white paper and upcoming Urban Mobility Payments Report. The report is based on their recent study conducted in the US and U.K. to understand the payment habits and preferences of 2000+ regular and frequent transport users across multiple forms of transport.
Industry Growth
Electric vehicle (EV) sales are estimated to rise to 20% of total car sales globally by 2025, with a staggering 59% projected by 2035. The rapid growth of the EV market has fuelled an equally rapid expansion of electric vehicle charging (EVC) infrastructure, with its global market value reaching $26 billion in 2022 and further expected to soar to an impressive $222 billion by 2030. This growth has been largely triggered by the escalating global environmental crisis putting an increased focus on sustainability across various industries. This is particularly important in the automotive sector, which despite its historical contribution to pollution is now positioning itself as a leader in driving positive change. EVs and the subsequent development of EVC infrastructure are at the forefront of this transformation.
Regulatory Change
In addition to environmental concerns, the growth of the EVC industry is also propelled by legislative measures aiming to promote EV adoption. For instance, several North American states and EU member countries have committed to prohibiting the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles by 2035. Additionally, numerous governments in the EU and US have implemented initiatives to enhance the accessibility of EVCs for customers and improve the overall customer experience provided by EVC suppliers. For example, the US government has promised to implement 500,000 EV chargers before 2030. Another notable initiative involves the implementation of card-present terminals throughout Europe. This initiative seeks to address one of the major barriers to public EVC usage, which is the inconsistency and unreliability of payment methods, by establishing a standardized payment experience across the market for users.
Consumer Expectations
In a highly competitive market with numerous mobility service alternatives, delivering a seamless user experience is paramount for operators looking to drive demand and foster customer loyalty. The payment process holds significant importance in the customer journey and Worldpay’s recent study strongly indicates that ‘convenience’ is the top priority for consumers when it comes to their payment experience. It was also found that 43% of US consumers and 50% of UK consumers have at times chosen not to charge their vehicles due to the lengthiness of the payment process. This highlights the damage that is caused to EVC businesses when their payment experience does not match their customer expectations.
A Lack of Brand Loyalty
The research also examined the preferences of customers regarding their choice of EVC brand. When asked whether they opted for a specific EVC brand, it was revealed that the vast majority, 77% US consumers and 88% UK consumers, leaned towards using whatever brand was available (these findings exclude Tesla drivers). For EVC suppliers, this absence of brand loyalty poses challenges such as unpredictable demand and a higher likelihood of customer churn. However, it also presents an opportunity for EVC suppliers to break this pattern by addressing customer pain points, such as lengthy payment processes, by providing a seamless and consistent payment experience.
To learn more about EVC trends and how your business can seize the opportunities these create, read our latest insights on The Future of EV Charging Paymentshere.
Zeelo have announced a partnership with DigiSure in the hopes accelerating its transit-tech expansion across the United States.
The collaboration will enable Zeelo, commuting solutions provider, to automate existing procedures to monitor driver compliance certification and thereby scale its operations across the country in transport-poor areas where there are gaps in public mass transit.
DigiSure’s risk management technology intends to help Zeelo in recording certifications in driver-screening procedures and onboarding compliant bus transportation operators. Zeelo’s system manages live vehicle tracking, booking, and ticketing, as well as automated boarding with digital bus passes.
Sam Ryan, co-founder and CEO at Zeelo, said:
“Being able to automate driver screening and ensure our operator partners are meeting our strict safety and risk assessment criteria, is a complete game-changer for our US expansion.
“We can now rapidly increase our supply of available fleets to serve more clients, more sites, much faster without compromising on our very high quality of service and our ability to design bespoke programs optimized with our technology to create the most efficient travel routes for the daily work commute.”
The integration of DigiSure’s risk management system into Zeelo’s existing technology stack, hopes to increase Zeelo’s operations and services in the United States accelerate the onboarding of bus operator partners onto its system.
Mike Shim, CEO at DigiSure, expressed his excitement at the partnership. He said: “Zeelo’s innovative approach to transportation, its commitment to sustainability, and dedication to ensuring a superior customer experience perfectly align with our mission to enable fast, efficient, and safe onboarding processes for modern transportation and mobility companies.”
Would you believe it if I told you that your behaviour whilst driving could actually help inform road layouts? Or that the data collected from your driving behaviour could help transportation much safer?
Well, it’s true! Meet Jeff Schlitt, solution engineering director at Arity. Schlitt outlines how mobility and driver data are collected by the company and converted into meaningful behavioural insights. The consultancy then leverages telematics to make transportation smarter, safer, and more useful for everyone.
The data collected is also used by the company to provide solutions to help with infrastructure and is given to municipalities to aid city and town developments.
Watch the full interview with Arity with an exclusive sneak peek of what we can expect to see from the Arity team at MOVE America 2023 next week!
High-speed charging times are now just as crucial to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, as the deployment of high power charging infrastructure, said StoreDot.
With most drivers still naming charging anxiety as the major decision factor in transitioning from petrol to electric, infrastructure rollout is often seen as the main catalyst to mass EV adoption. However, StoreDot has suggested that extreme-fast charging (XFC) could change this.
With the recent deployment of high-power chargers, the need for XFC battery technology in EVs on the road has increased. These two components – battery technology and high-power charging infrastructure – could help to unlock the mass adoption of EVs.
StoreDot is now shipping samples of its 100in5 silicon batteries capable of delivering 100 miles, or 160 km of charge in just five minutes. With global OEM partners testing and validating its technology, mass production readiness is now on track and the company anticipates widespread uptake of its battery cells starting in 2025.
Dr Doron Myersdorf, StoreDot CEO, said:
“Charging anxiety remains a key barrier to mass adoption of EVs. Nevertheless, the ability of the vehicle to charge fast is just as crucial to prospective EV users as the availability of high-power charge points.
“Deployment of infrastructure must be paired with innovation of XFC technology since most EV battery solutions on the market currently cannot accept high power charging rates. With long lead times required to introduce new vehicles, we are urging global automotive manufacturers to adopt XFC battery technology that can safely accept the much-needed high power charging rates, to enable our industry to achieve the ambitious goal of zero-emission transport for a cleaner world.”
Hyundai Motor Group has announced a $1.1 million contribution to aid Morocco and Libya in their recovery efforts following severe earthquakes and floods.
The donations come from the four affiliates of Hyundai Motor Group: Kia, Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Engineering & Construction, and Hyundai Engineering.
The funds will be channelled to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through the Korean Red Cross.
The automaker group’s headquarters is also providing transportation for government-led initiatives for school supplies, provision of psychotherapists, and blood donations. Furthermore, they are offering discounts on damaged vehicle parts and free inspections.
In cooperation with its Moroccan distributor, Kia Middle East and Africa FZE will also donate ambulance vehicles to the Moroccan government and offer support vehicles for local NGOs.
Hyundai’s Libyan distributors have so far supported 30 truckloads of relief supplies, such as food and blankets, while Hyundai Motor Company Middle East and Africa Headquarters has initiated a special program to provide discounts on parts and free inspection of damaged vehicles.
Kia’s Libyan distributor also plans to deliver daily necessities such as water, food, and medicine to the affected areas and carry out relief activity including the provision of temporary shelters.
Hyundai Motor Group has provided donations and daily necessities to several previous major international disasters, including the earthquake in Turkey in 2023, Hurricane Ian in the United States in 2022, the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia in 2018, and heavy rains in Peru/Colombia in 2017.
German automaker BMW is set to produce electric Mini cars at Cowley, Oxford plant after multimillion-pound funding grant from UK government and internal £600 million investment.
The plant will kick off production of the electric Mini models and the new electric Mini Aceman crossover SUV with the help of a £75 million grant of taxpayer funds from the UK government, the Financial Times reported.
Business and trade secretary, Kemi Badenoch, said:
“This decision is a big vote of confidence in the UK economy and the work of this Government to ensure the continued strength of our world-leading automotive sector.
“We are proud to be able to support BMW Group’s investment, which will secure high-quality jobs, strengthen our supply chains and boost Britain’s economic growth.”
By 2030 production volume of plant aims to be exclusively electric and the BMW Group will have spent more than £3 billion combined on its Swindon, Hams Hall, and Oxford plants since 2000.
BMW reported that the factory will reach a production capacity of around 200,000 cars per year in the medium term, with ICE and battery electric vehicles (EVs) initially being built on the same production line. From 2030, the Oxford Plant will produce all-electric MINI models exclusively.
BMW’s investment follows the announcement of a £4 billion Somerset gigafactory from Tata Motors and their commitment in the UK to supplying electric batteries. Nissan and AESC also recently announced another £1 billion investment into an EV manufacturing hub in Sunderland.
Rishi Sunak said that BMW’s latest investment in the Oxford plant was “another shining example of how the UK is the best place to build cars of the future”.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have announced $8.8 million in grants for 10 projects in eight States and the District of Columbia to encourage the use of tools that can improve safety on bridges and in work zones.
The grants, which can also be used for other innovative transportation technologies such as ultra-high-performance concrete to digital mapping programs, are provided by FHWA’s Accelerated Innovation Deployment (AID) Demonstration program and complement President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
FHWA administrator, Shailen Bhatt, said:
“Innovation is essential for the future of transportation infrastructure and these grants will help our State, local, and Tribal partners to improve safety, increase the resilience of our transportation infrastructure, and combat the climate crisis.
“The grants, along with additional funding from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will bring more innovations to America’s road, highway, and bridge projects.”
The grants plan to help in funding 9 states with innovative transport projects. Examples include $1 million of the grant is going towards Arizona’s smart work zone technologies that will share real-time data from active construction areas to improve agency monitoring processes, enhance safety for workers, and improve traveller information tools.
Another $1 million will be going to the state of Texas for their Traffic Speed Deflection Device technology which will collect data on the structural condition of pavements using a non-contact doppler laser without the need for traffic control. Data collected as part of the project is expected to improve TxDOT’s annual treatment planning program.
Click here to read the full details of which other states and projects AID will be funding.
Webfleet has entered into a partnership with new e-fleet solutions provider VEV to accelerate commercial EV fleet adoption.
The fleet management software provider announced their partnership with VEV, provider of end-to-end EV transition solutions from EV fleet strategy through site design to operation.
As well as initial site electrification, charge point infrastructure installation, and electric vehicle sourcing and financing, the company also supports ongoing EV fleet operations. vehicles, journeys and drivers.
Mike Nakrani, CEO of VEV, said:
“Webfleet is a critical component of the electrification journey, from initial planning to in-service operational optimisation.
“The data is vital for VEV to optimise the design of the EV transition to avoid costly over-specification of vehicles, chargers and depot energy infrastructure.”
The partnership aligns with Bridgestone’s E8 Commitment and its eight values – Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment – which serves as a guide for Bridgestone’s transformation into a sustainable solutions company.
Taco van der Leij, Vice President Webfleet Europe at Bridgestone Mobility Solutions, said:
“Webfleet is helping businesses worldwide to achieve their sustainability ambitions, but we recognise that the solutions needed by fleets to successfully transition to zero emission vehicles come from collaboration.
“This partnership demonstrates how much the role of the fleet manager is changing. In addition to managing vehicle operations, EV fleet managers must be able to optimise energy consumption to minimise downtime, cut charge times and optimise battery health as a critical asset.”
Webfleet telematics data intends to play a pivotal role in shaping initial EV strategy by informing vehicle journey times, duration, frequency and ‘return to depot’ behaviour. It will then enable fleet managers to track range, energy consumption and mechanical status in real time.
Parkopedia and JustPark have confirmed a partnership which aims to provide an easier and more complete way to find, book, and pay for parking.
Parkopedia’s platform, which enables connected car drivers to search for convenient local parking, now hosts JustPark’s available parking locations, enabling drivers to book and pay for on-street and off-street parking through their vehicles.
Anthony Eskinazi, Founder and CEO of JustPark, said:
“Parkopedia offers an outstanding service to motorists around the world, allowing them to seek out the best parking on offer to them.
This landmark agreement allows more than 100,000 of JustPark’s extensive collection of parking locations to be seen by Parkopedia’s considerable UK audience, while enhancing its users’ experience by offering even more parking options and the ability to book and pay for our spaces on the platform for the first time.”
This partnership intends to give drivers more parking options to suit their needs and creates additional revenue opportunities for JustPark’s network of space owners.
JustPark’s locations are a combination of commercial parking operations, such as public on-street, multi-storey commercial car parks, shopping centre and hotel car parks and less traditional, community parking spaces.
The integration also allows users to make payments using their in-car wallet – meaning there will be no requirement to use their phone or bank card to make a payment.
Commenting on the new partnership, Founder and CEO of Parkopedia, Eugene Tsyrklevich, said:
“This new partnership with JustPark adds to Parkopedia’s already extensive bank of parking locations, offering UK drivers the greatest choice and convenience possible, with the benefit of Parkopedia’s seamless in-car Payment Platform for reservations and payments.
By combining our technology and enabling in-car payments, Parkopedia and JustPark continue to reduce the stress associated with finding and paying for parking. This should also ease the third of all inner city congestion that is currently attributed to those looking for parking by enabling smoother journeys with simpler parking planning and reservations.”
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (US DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) have announced funding of $3 million in Emergency Relief (ER) funds to aid traffic management services and help repairs to infrastructure needed as a result of damage caused by wildfires in Lahaina on the island of Maui earlier this month.
The “quick release” funding will be used to help in the recovery or replacement of damaged and destroyed infrastructure, including portable battery-operated traffic signals, traffic signals, erosion control of damaged areas, signs, guardrails, jersey barriers to reroute traffic and protect pedestrians and workers, and traffic management services by the police.
U.S. transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, said:
“The nation watched with broken hearts as wildfires took lives and livelihoods in Maui – and the nation will stand with Maui as it rebuilds.
“This emergency funding will help residents get transportation networks back up and running with traffic signal replacements, erosion control, guardrails, and more – and we will continue work to protect communities against these increasingly frequent climate disasters.”
The wildfires, which started on August 8, have resulted in catastrophic damage and loss of life in Lahaina. On August 10, President Biden declared that a major disaster exists in the State of Hawaii and ordered Federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by the wildfires.
FHWA’s Emergency Relief program provides funding to states, territories, Tribes, and Federal Land Management Agencies for highways and bridges damaged by natural disasters or catastrophic events.
More information about FHWA’s Emergency Relief program can be found here.
Electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure is doing a lot to accustom the clean energy transition, but what are its main barriers? James Fox, SVP North America at EVBox, makes the case that charging infrastructure is not doing enough to accommodate EV drivers.
There are multiple challenges that come with EV charging infrastructure, such as plug and cable compatibility, maintenance of stations, complicated charging services, and many more. Fox speaks out about all of these issues and explains how they are all impeding the push for electrification.
EVBox is an EV equipment supplier who believes in the power of electric mobility to transform transportation and enable a clean energy future. Fox outlines that their mission is to empower society to embrace electric mobility with their complete electric vehicle charging solutions.
Watch the full interview to hear all about the challenges that face the future of electrification and Fox’s personal opinions on whether the clean energy transition is truly achievable.
Would you like to see James Fox speak and meet the rest of the EVBox team at MOVE America? Buy your tickets to the event here whilst our current discount lasts!
WiTricity have announced a new FastTrack Integration Program for automotive OEMs that allows initial vehicle integration in just three months, accelerating automaker testing of wireless charging on existing and future EV platforms.
Wireless charging using the WiTricity Halo receiver and 11kW charger will be fully enabled and operational on the automaker’s EV platform.
Alex Gruzen, CEO of WiTricity, said:
“Knowing the challenges of automotive timelines, we are committed to help OEMs move more quickly to adopt the wireless charging technology that customers want.
“We have extensive experience upgrading existing vehicles such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Ford Mustang Mach-E to support wireless charging, and in working with early adopters of factory-installed wireless charging. WiTricity can partner with OEMs not just on evaluation, but on delivery from our global supply chain of fully automotive-grade wireless charging solutions for production programs.”
WiTricity’s FastTrack Integration Program aims to help OEMs develop dealer-installable wireless charging options that meet market demand while production programs are in development.
This program delivers test- and evaluation-ready wireless charging with a complete implementation of both hardware and software.
Written by Aatish Patel, President and Co-Founder of XCharge North America
Electrification and widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption are growing priorities for consumers, businesses, and the government. However, the current infrastructure and equipment cannot sustain aspirations of building smart cities.
Before becoming a founding member of XCharge North America, I was involved in hospitality, and as a customer, I struggled to install a Level-3 charger at one of my properties. The chargers I considered demanded extensive property upgrades since most solutions are designed with European and Asian grids in mind. The North American grid is older, less robust, and has a lower voltage than the EU/APAC counterparts, meaning it takes more money and effort to retrofit and install EU/APAC-based chargers. Given the lack of native input-based chargers for the U.S., I joined forces with XCharge due to their shared willingness to develop a solution optimized for the country’s infrastructure. We localized one of their EV chargers, the C6AM, in accordance with the U.S. grid and later developed the Net Zero Series (NZS) solution to meet the grid’s unique demands.
Pictured above are renderings of the Net Zero Series (NZS). Photo: XCharge North America.
Charging as a power source
Within the U.S., charging is considered interchangeable with fuelling. However, equipping businesses and drivers with the correct charger promotes charging as a power source and a service. Companies simply focus on increasing the number of EV chargers available to achieve electrification goals. These endeavors provide ineffective solutions, worsening public fears that increased EV charging will further deplete the electric grid’s capabilities. However, deploying the correct charger for the grid will optimize its capabilities for consumers and the nation’s infrastructure.
XCharge North America’s NZS solution is one of the first commercially available bi-directional charging products that sustains the grid’s durability and advances e-mobility. The NZS enables the power grid to support more electric charging as a battery-to-grid solution versus a vehicle-to-grid solution. The bi-directional and energy storage qualities avoid exhausting the grid since it requires low energy use with high output. This is key since many market solutions don’t perform or aren’t reliable during extreme weather periods like heat waves or snowstorms. Additionally, integrated bi-directional chargers act as a Virtual Power Plant (VPP), meaning the NZS can store energy during low usage periods for the future, which reduces any strain on the power grid that stems from increased electricity consumption – as demonstrated in the graphic below.
Economically Sound Charging
Along with being a VPP, the NZS solution is ideal for facilitating charging as a service. Unfortunately, many business operators are hesitant about the high installation and maintenance costs. EV charger companies push operatories to install solutions for the 480v input instead of the existing 208v commonly available in the U.S., which requires complete site renovations. The costly installation doesn’t guarantee quality and reliable charger performance. On the other hand, the NZS’s energy storage system and bi-directional functions allow the unit to sell back energy to the grid, allowing peak-shaving capabilities where operators can profit from DCFC installs.
Charging that serves everyone
The EV industry has increasingly been adopting the Tesla NACS model and network. However, overburdening one system not designed with the North American grid in mind will continue to have businesses and EV drivers suffer with unreliable charging solutions. There is no denying that charging should support the Tesla market, though charging doesn’t need to be monopolized under one system – that negates the open access guidelines of NEVI. A widespread charger network should and can serve a diverse set of electric vehicles. To this end, since the beginning, both the C6AM and NZS solutions have accommodated NACS and CCS1 standards while also energizing the grid infrastructure.
Pictured above is a C6AM deployment in Allen, Texas that accommodates NACS. Photo: XCharge North America.
C6AM and NZS deployments allow charging to remain a universal service.
Want to meet Aatish Patel and the rest of the team at XCharge? Come and meet them at MOVE AMERICA 2023 in Austin, TX September 26th-27th. Get your tickets now for just $795 whilst offer lasts.
This week, BT’s start-up and Digital incubation team Etc. has announced that it will oversee a number of pilot programmes to transform decommissioned broadband cabinets into charging points for electric vehicles (EVs).
These cabinets, dotted all over streets of the UK, currently provide copper-based broadband and phone services to local consumers. However, as the UK’s networks rapidly shift to full fibre architecture, these cabinets are becoming obsolete, prompting BT Group to consider repurposing the.
According to BT, the scope of the pilot projects will include a range of technical, operational, and commercial analysis, from upgrade viability based on location to potential joint venture business models to commercialise the would-be EV network.
The first of these pilot projects will reportedly take place in Northern Ireland later this autumn, with more locations added across the UK before the end of the year. The various tests are expected to continue for two years before commercialisation can be considered.
If successful, these conversions could end up as a significant proportion of the UK’s national EV infrastructure. The entire country currently has around 45,000 charging points operational, but the government has plans to invest £1.6 billion to increase this figure to 300,000 by 2030.
Tom Guy, Managing Director of Etc, said:
“With the ban on sales of internal combustion engine vehicles coming in 2030, and with only around 45,000 public charge points today, the UK needs a massive upgrade to meet the needs of the EV revolution.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to connect for good in a whole new way by innovating around our cabinet infrastructure. The pilots are critical for the team to work through the assessment and establish effective technical, commercial and operational routes to market over the next two years.”
Ultimately, not every cabinet BT owns is likely to be converted, since not all of them will prove cost-effective or be in practical locations. Nonetheless, initial estimates suggest around two-thirds of BT Group’s 90,000 cabinets could be suitable for the upgrade.
BT Group is not alone in considering repurposing this soon-to-be legacy infrastructure for EV purposes. Virgin Media O2, for example, has been working alongside Liberty Global’s joint venture Liberty Charge since 2021 to deploy a small number of charging points leveraging their own cabinet and duct infrastructure.
The joint venture will include the development of a high-powered charging network with at least 30,000 chargers to make zero-emission driving more accessible and attractive to drivers. The collaboration aims to become the leading network of reliable high-powered charging stations in North America.
BMW Group CEO, Oliver Zipse, said:
“North America is one of the world’s most important car markets – with the potential to be a leader in electromobility. Accessibility to high-speed charging is one of the key enablers to accelerate this transition. Therefore, seven automakers are forming this joint venture with the goal of creating a positive charging experience for EV consumers.”
The new charging stations will be accessible to all battery-powered electric vehicles from any automaker using Combined Charging System (CCS) or North American Charging Standard (NACS) and are expected to meet the requirements of the U.S. National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program.
The first stations are expected to open in the United States in the summer of 2024 and in Canada at a later stage. Each site will be equipped with multiple high-powered DC chargers, making long-distance journeys easier for customers.
In line with the sustainability strategies of all seven automakers, the joint venture intends to power the charging network solely by renewable energy.
With U.S. electric vehicle sales expected to exceed 50% of total U.S. sales by 2030, the expansion of reliable charging infrastructure will become even more critical to widespread electric vehicle adoption.
