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Range anxiety is a common fear suffered by electric vehicle (EV) owners, and one that continues to put off potential buyers. But the use and acceptance of EVs amongst businesses and consumers is growing. By 2020 one million Evs, including plug-in hybrids and fuel cell vehicles, are expected to be on the roads globally.
For this reason, quick, simple and efficient charging which can suit the varying range needs of EV users in coming years is vital. This became even more notable this month at the 2015 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, where the focus among car manufacturers and suppliers alike was on proving the feasibility of EVs and quelling range concerns for good.
EV concept cars
At the show, many range enhancing developments came in the form of concept cars. Audi revealed the E-Tron Quattro Concept vehicle, which it plans to release in early 2018. With a 95 kWh capacity battery and a DC 150 kW fast charger, the concept can reach a full charge in just 50 minutes and has an estimated range of 310 miles. The large lithium-ion battery is positioned between the rear axle and below the passenger compartment.
Meanwhile Taiwanese power tool company Thunder Power also revealed an EV concept, which reportedly goes on sale in Europe in 2017. The rear-wheel drive luxury EV sedan boasts a claimed maximum range of over 400 miles on a full charge, thanks to a 125 kWh battery mounted in the floor. The company claims that the car will be able to cover 186 miles on a 30 minute charge and reach full charge in one hour using a fast charging system.
Charging infrastructure
But if we are really expected to replace the internal combustion engine with an electric one, many argue it may not be as a result of big batteries, or superfast charging methods. The way forward in making EVs more than just Hollywood props is the charging infrastructure.
Rather than plugging EVs in while arriving at the supermarket - a potentially cumbersome task for users - Qualcomm Halo has been developing a way to cut the cord using wireless vehicle charging (WVEC). While WEVC technology is ideally suited to stationary charging, it is also being developed for use while the vehicle is being driven, turning highways into an endless charging system.
Anthony Thomson, vice president of Qualcomm Technologies, believes that the future of urban mobility is electric and wireless – and that the method of charging holds the key to mass adoption. Although the technology is in its infancy, the company believes that it could lead to a complete shift in charging behaviour.
Qualcomm Halo says a switch to wireless charging will mean drivers only have to charge their EVs little and often. Dynamic charging could complement stationary charging to remove range anxiety. Batteries could be smaller, with the resulting reduction in EV cost and vehicle weight. The aim would be to remove batteries completely so they could be driven non-stop.
Trials of the technology are slated to start in Europe later on this year and will involve installing charging systems underneath mock roads designed to replicate real highway conditions. In order to get there, however, massive investment in road infrastructure would be needed in countries across the world.
Despite the focus at the Frankfurt show on how to push EV technology forward, the question that has yet to be answered is whether manufacturers can make EVs appeal to the masses. It is likely that developments in battery size and capability, quicker charging and simpler charging methods will be vital. Only then can, or will range anxiety reach zero.