The Diffusion of EVs Featured Pattern: P1312 February 2019
Abstracts in this Pattern:
Racing competitions are introducing automotive innovations. The ABB FIA Formula E Championship (www.fiaformulae.com)—an auto-racing competition by ABB Asea Brown Boveri (Zurich, Switzerland) and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (Paris, France) that uses only EVs—is driving technological advances that can find use in consumer EVs. For example, Jaguar Land Rover's (Tata Group; Mumbai, India) new Jaguar I-PACE consumer electric sport-utility vehicle uses some technology from Jaguar's I-TYPE 2 Formula E race car. Other advances relate to supporting services. Google (Alphabet; Mountain View, California) is updating its Google Maps mapping service to include the locations of certain providers' EV-charging stations in the United States and a few other countries. Google Maps will also provide related information, including charging prices and the types of connectors available at each charging station.
Cities around the world are attempting to dissuade or outright prohibit the use of vehicles that emit pollutants. Uber Technologies (San Francisco, California) wants its fleet of vehicles in London, England, to be fully electric by 2025, and the company is charging passengers in London an extra £0.15 ($0.19) per mile to create a fund that will aid its drivers in switching to EVs. EV diffusion expands beyond cars. Ford Motor Company (Dearborn, Michigan) recently purchased electric-scooter start-up Spin, General Motors Company (Detroit, Michigan) has unveiled initial plans for an electric-bike brand, and Daimler (Stuttgart, Germany) is planning to test an electric-scooter-rental service in Europe.
As EVs increase in number, new regulations will become necessary to pave the way for their diffusion across regions and market segments. For instance, because EVs produce very little noise in comparison with internal-combustion-engine vehicles, they may endanger pedestrians and other road users who might not detect them in their vicinity. The European Union introduced a regulation that requires new EVs to have an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System that makes them sound like internal-combustion-engine vehicles while they are moving 20 kilometers per hour (about 12 miles per hour) or slower. The regulation will also apply to hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles beginning in 2020.
The Development of this Pattern
Data Points
- SC-2019-01-09-074
Google is updating its Google Maps mapping service to include the locations of certain providers' EV-charging stations in the United States and a few other countries. - SC-2019-01-09-087
Uber Technologies wants its fleet of vehicles in London, England, to be fully electric by 2025. - SC-2019-01-09-030
The European Union introduced a regulation that requires new EVs to have an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System.
Implications
P1312 — The Diffusion of EVs
Technological advances, infrastructure rollouts, societal shifts, and policy changes are helping the gradual diffusion of electric vehicles (EVs).
Previous Alerts
- SoC437 — The Automotive Industry in Flux (May 2010)
The automotive industry is going through a wide range of changes simultaneously, culminating in an environment that could open a number of opportunities for smaller car manufacturers, start-ups, and even newcomers from various industries. - SoC519 — Automotive Transportation Revolution (July 2011)
Signs suggest that automotive transportation is entering a metaphorical tunnel, and it could emerge a very different beast. Welcome to the new world of transportation. - P00345 — Next-Generation Cars: Electricity versus Natural Gas? (May 2012)
Although electric cars currently appear to be on the product-development road map for most car manufacturers, natural gas—especially shale gas—has moved to the center of attention, potentially affecting next-generation vehicle technology. - P0510 — The Changing Commute (July 2013)
High-speed-rail lines, the evolution of city vehicles, and transport business models are all changing the way people commute. - P0584 — EV-Battery Innovations (January 2014)
Batteries remain a weak link for electric vehicles, but interesting new products and business models are emerging. - P0832 — The Electric-Vehicle Market Is Moving (October 2015)
An increasing number of automotive manufacturers are entering the electric-vehicle and battery-technology markets. - P0983 — Tackling Fossil Energy's Environmental Impact (October 2016)
Various efforts to address the negative effects of energy from fossil fuel are under way. - P1151 — Electric Trucks (December 2017)
Electric trucks will help to reduce emissions in urban areas and create large new markets for vehicle and battery manufacturers. - P1229 — Proliferation of Electric Trucks and Vans (July 2018)
As vehicle manufacturers accelerate electric-truck development, more medium- and even heavy-duty truck models are beginning to hit the road.