Interest in zero emission EVs is rapidly gaining momentum, if recent upbeat pronouncements from manufacturers are taken at face value. The Mercedes-Benz Vito E-CELL van can now receive service support from 33 specially-appointed dealers across Germany. Meanwhile the UK government has certified seven electric vans as being eligible for a grant of £8,000 (US$12,500) to encourage sales.
Despite the environmental attractions of EVs, especially for image-conscious companies running liveried – and therefore readily identifiable – van fleets, orders are slow. Passenger car EV sales have also proved disappointing so far.
Many potential customers will be looking more closely at the practicalities. They will want a much denser network of charging points, comparable with that which has now been established for CNG and LPG refuelling.
Even with subsidies or grants, EVs are expensive and the price structure is complicated by considerations of battery life before replacement becomes necessary. The life of lithium-ion or any other type of battery is greatly dependent on vehicle usage and, as such, is not readily predictable. Battery leasing schemes are designed to overcome that uncertainty. But any form of leasing involves a definite contract period, which in turn implies a level of customer commitment. At this stage in the evolution of EVs, such commitment by potential van or car buyers is not readily forthcoming, especially with transport-related budgets under strain.
Mercedes almost certainly hopes that its own confidence in EVs, as demonstrated through the establishment of that German service network, will inspire similar faith in the future of EVs on the part of would-be buyers. Those 33 EV service points – necessarily widely scattered across a country as large as Germany – will inevitably have battery charging facilities; one would expect nothing less. But many potential customers will be looking more closely at the practicalities. They will want a much denser network of charging points, comparable with that which has now, after a protracted and far-from-smooth build-up period, been established for compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refuelling.
Until a sufficiently dense network of ‘electric refuelling’ points is in place, commercial vehicle and car users are likely to regard pure battery EVs with caution, if not scepticism.
And those will need to be fast-charging points, able to bring depleted batteries up to at least a ‘get you home’ state of charge within say 30 minutes, rather than the low-boost overnight charging installation which buyers require at their base depots or in motorists’ home garages or driveways. It might be argued that EV users should recognise the range limitations and restrict their operations accordingly. But they will inevitably want to make the most of the batteries’ capacity which, in kilometre terms, will vary widely, depending on traffic conditions, terrain and ambient temperature. There will be instances of unplanned battery discharge, immobilising vehicles away from their base depots. Owners will want to avoid the need to call on a specialist breakdown service, or to send out their own rescue vehicle, equipped to give a stranded EV’s batteries a rapid boost charge, or to tow it home.
Until a sufficiently dense network of ‘electric refuelling’ points is in place, commercial vehicle and car users are likely to regard pure battery EVs with caution, if not scepticism. If Mercedes-Benz cannot use its huge marketing muscle to make them commercially viable, EVs will remain minor players on the road transport scene.
The opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of Automotive World Ltd.
Alan Bunting has a background in engineering, and has been writing on commercial vehicle and powertrain related topics since the 1960s. He has been an Automotive World contributor since 1996.
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