The success of electric vehicles is dependent, among other things, on charging infrastructure. ABB‘s Marco Grunauer is responsible for ensuring that electric vehicle owners can charge up quickly and easily.
Mr. Grunauer, there are gas stations on almost every corner, but it takes a bit longer to find a charging station for an electric car. Would you agree with that?
A powerful, reliable charging infrastructure such as the one ABB can offer is a precondition for the success of electric mobility. Switzerland has what is, by European standards, a close-knit quick-charging infrastructure andis keeping up with other countries. The infrastructure is steadily being expanded.
How many charging points are still needed?
There will be around 100 ABB quick-charging systems installed in Switzerland by the end of 2016. They will allow all standard electric vehicles (EV) to charge up. Around a third of the stations will be operated privately and won‘t be publicly available: these will be at factories, banks, insurance companies to give just a few examples. This is unlike the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway, where there are large-scale operators of EV charging networks; in Switzerland, operators are usually local and run smaller networks. This makes it more difficult for drivers to work out where charging stations are. So it’s not about the number of charging points, its more about networking existing points effectively.
So the problem is not the lack of infrastructure that many people talk about?
In the end it is a question of quality. For example, Swiss retailers and shopping centers already offer quick-charging stations. In reality, electric vehicle owners don’t go there just to charge up. First and foremost they go to shop and charge up their cars at the same time. After that they park their cars somewhere else, not having to depend on charging infrastructure at particular parking spaces. A quick-charging station is therefore shared by hundreds of users and provides a lot of freedom.
Do you yourself drive an electric vehicle?
Of course. ABB maintains a fleet of electric cars.
And how do you find it?
Anxiety about the range of the vehicle is all in the mind and worries are unfounded so far. Networked electric vehicles help travel planning and always get me safely to my destination. An electric vehicle’s combination of quietness and power is an amazing experience. I really enjoy being part of something that can positively change our environment and maybe even the world.
What will the futureof the automobile bring?
Cars are like telephones, typewriters, audio storage media, televisions, cameras, and many other major achievements of the 20th century. Technologies are being used in new ways and making everyday life easier. Electric vehicles are driving further and the options available are growing while prices drop – and that is already happening. Nobody really knows what the future will look like, and that is precisely what drives people to help shape it.
