Examining Europe's Two-way Electric Vehicle Charging System Architecture
The "Assessment of the Regulatory Framework of Bidirectional EV Charging in Europe" report, published jointly by SmartEN and DNV, offers insights into the mixed picture of electric vehicle (EV) adoption and infrastructure development across European countries.
As Europe moves towards a greener future, the evolution of its EV landscape will be critical in shaping its energy and transport sectors. The report emphasizes the need for regulatory focus on increasing V2X-capable chargers in public places where vehicles spend more time. V2X technology, which allows EVs to communicate and interact with the power grid and other entities, is still in its early stages.
The report suggests that the growing penetration of EVs and charging points could lead to future V2X adoption. To boost this, the report advocates for policies to increase the uptake of V2X-capable vehicles and chargers. Such policies could help reduce costs and increase the viability of V2X business models.
However, the report finds that most EVs on the road today are not equipped for V2X, and the infrastructure for bidirectional charging is limited. This is a challenge that needs to be addressed as Europe strives to create a more interactive and sustainable transport ecosystem.
The report highlights that while some countries are leading in integrating Variable Renewable Energy Sources (VRES) and credit mechanisms for green energy, others lag behind in EV adoption and infrastructure development. For instance, Italy, Spain, and Poland have low infrastructure and fleet shares, contrasting with countries like Norway and the one discussed in the report, which show strong progress. Norway leads in private charging infrastructure for EVs, granting apartment residents the right to access charging facilities. The country also has an 88% share of new vehicle sales being electric vehicles (EVs), a 27% existing fleet share, and a high number of charging points (CPs).
Industry players like ChargePoint and Eaton are developing V2X-capable ultra-fast charging solutions for public stations in Europe to support future network integration and EV growth. However, currently, there are no specific European governments publicly announced with detailed plans to increase the number of V2X-capable charging stations in public areas.
The Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) offers financial incentives to consumers for using electricity from renewable energy sources to charge EVs. Additionally, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation (AFIR) requires EU Member States to provide publicly accessible charging power for each battery electric vehicle and a charging pool every 60 km along main and secondary highways by 2025 and 2030, respectively.
The future of V2X technology depends on continued policy support, infrastructure development, and consumer adoption. The editorial board of the report, EVBoosters, urges policymakers to take action to ensure Europe's progress towards a more interactive and sustainable transport ecosystem.
