In 2009, some of the world’s largest mobile manufacturers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start making phones that can be charged using one type of charger. Before this, most mobile phones used to have proprietary chargers that would only work on one kind of device. This landmark decision reduced thousands of tons worth of waste generated by unwanted chargers that were rendered obsolete once people bought new phones. Besides having a positive environmental impact, this decision also enabled interoperability and allowed dozens of handsets to be charged using one type of plug.
Similar to mobile chargers prior to 2009, the current EV charging infrastructure uses different plugs for different regions, charging levels and vehicles. The figure below illustrates a few charging standards that have been adopted across the globe.
1. Multiple EV charging standards exist and there is a distinct lack of synchronization across regions with limited compatibility between connectors
Harmonized charging standards are a key prerequisite for the deployment of electric mobility. They ensure accessibility for EV charging networks and drastically reduce investment risks for the stakeholders that are ready to mobilize resources, thereby constraining development costs. Standardization has major implications for the nature of the hardware used for charging infrastructure and for communication protocols.
Over the years various charging standards have been adopted across various regions and efforts are currently underway to combine these standards with the aim of a unified global standard in the near future. For example, the Japanese CHAdeMO and the Chinese GB/T associations recently signed an MoU in an effort to consolidate charging standards between the two countries which can power more than 80% of the current global electric fleet.
Figure 1: Some common EV charging standards across the globe
Harmonising standards also gives greater confidence to charging infrastructure providers to flock to the market in larger numbers. A great example of this can be found in Singapore, where the government recently announced a common charging standard for the entire city-state. Plans for installation of 1000’s of charging points were announced shortly after a unified charging standard was announced. On a global context, this kind of step could be critical to the acceleration of the installation of new charging points to compliment and enable higher EV adoption rates.
2. The current state of charging infrastructure across the globe has led to complicated and divergent charging access for EV owners
Interoperability is essential in providing customers and the market with the clarity required to build a resilient and efficient EV charging ecosystem. Customers should be able to roam freely between charging networks which can be enabled through a standard protocol for B2B connectivity. Open and non-proprietary protocols will allow services and operations between charging stations and networks to be interchangeable while physical charging can be made interoperable through common charging standards and interface that will work across a range of EVs.
The table above details a few recent announcements regarding EV charging standards across key regions. It is evident from this table that most of the new standards that have been announced is a testament to the recent consolidation efforts that are underway across the globe. However, a single global unified charging standard across all levels of charging should the ultimate goal for the sector and is crucial in accelerating our transition towards a fully electrified vehicle fleet.
3. Greater collaboration and coordination towards a common standard is the need of the hour
Just like our example of mobile phones earlier, the key here is for the various stakeholders in the EV charging space to work together to make charging EVs as easy as re-fuelling conventional ICE vehicles today. One of the fundamental driving forces behind vehicular electrification is the need to reduce emissions from the transport sector which accounts for 23% of current GHG emissions. Decarbonising our transport systems will be a deciding factor in our efforts towards containing emissions within globally agreed targets and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change in the process.
