Why EVs and how do they impact installers?
Electric Vehicles (EVs) have been around for nearly 200 years, but have only really come to the fore in the last 10-15 years.
Why is that so?
Well in the last 10-15 years, there has been growing realisation of the impact that the harmful emissions from burning fossil fuels is having on our climate and our health. Indeed, when you drill into the detail for the UK, around 29% of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions come from transport, which is the largest emitting sector for GHGs in the UK. Drilling into that sector, reveals that around 80% of it comes from cars, typically burning petrol and diesel as their fuel of choice, creating those harmful emissions.
Hence, we see the Government initiatives to try to move people away from fossil fuel usage in transport towards alternative energy solutions, such as EV, hydrogen, bio-fuels etc. Currently, EV is winning that race, and thus we see the Government ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars coming into effect in 2035 in the UK, encouraging people to move towards EVs.
EV numbers are increasing exponentially, as more people step into the EV arena and realise the benefits that they can bring. Indeed, the best-selling car in the world in 2023, across petrol, diesel and EV, was an EV – a Tesla Model Y – and EVs are now outselling diesel cars in the UK market, increasing market share each month.
So, with this rapid growth of EVs, we also need to establish an EV charging network to support these vehicles, which is where EV chargers come in, and the increasing need for the installers who possess the skills and knowledge to install them.
Around 60% of homes in the UK have off-street parking which may be suitable for a home EV charger, and around 90% of EV owners will go this route for their charging needs. Choosing the right energy tariff with a low nighttime rate, they could achieve low pure running costs, travelling 40 miles in their EV for as little as 70p. Compare that to something like a diesel car where doing the same distance could cost you around £6.50.
Reducing energy costs through increased efficiency
In June 2022, the UK Government established a new regulation that stated that all new build homes and buildings in England were legally required to have EV charging points, whether residential or commercial, as part of the Part S building regulations, but only if they have an associated parking space.
In parallel, recent, and ongoing, geopolitical events have shown how easily energy prices in the UK can be impacted, as we saw recently, with the war in Ukraine driving up UK energy costs.
As a result, property owners have started to focus on making their homes and businesses more energy efficient with better sustainability – effectively a whole house approach.
Whilst EV charging is one part of that efficiency and sustainability equation, we are also seeing increasing numbers of people installing PV solar panels and battery storage. By linking all three together you can create a highly efficient energy system, where the costs of driving an EV can be reduced further, potentially even achieving free running costs if sufficient solar energy can be generated.
Whether a property is new or old, taking a whole house approach to sustainability and efficiency makes sense, and with the rise in the demand for connected solutions with EV chargers, PV solar and battery storage as people look for more sustainable and energy efficient solutions for their everyday lives, the demand for installers with the knowledge and skills to install such systems will increase.
So if you are an installer of such technology, or are looking for a growing sustainable industry with rapid growth to get involved with, EV charging, coupled with PV solar panels and battery storage is the next big industry to get into.
Following a long career in the RAF, Randal Smith was the PM for the Jaguar I-Pace, the first fully EV from Jaguar Land Rover, with the car going on to win 90 international awards and World Car of the Year in 2019. He has built companies up, and led the installation of numerous EV charging networks nationwide across the public and private arenas, operating in various company C-Suite and board level positions. Randal is also a speaker at various EV and Energy shows, conferences and webinars, and is regarded as an expert in the field of EV, EV Charging and Batteries. He now runs his own Consultancy – EV and EV Charging Solutions Consulting.
Image credit: Dreamstime
