E-mobility – fast lane to the future
Renewable energy for electric vehicles, a charging station for home use: significantly higher self-consumption and safe, reliable charging with solar power. Our portfolio is in top gear!
Residential EV charging solution that seamlessly integrates with the full SolarEdge ecosystem
Residential EV charging solution that seamlessly integrates with the full SolarEdge ecosystem
Frequently Asked Questions
About Inverters
The term ‘electrically chargeable vehicle’ covers a wide range of technologies. From the perspective of the industry, there are several basic types of electrically chargeable vehicles (see definitions in Q18) Electrically chargeable vehicles have a place on Europe’s roads, and their use is growing. Presently the industry predicts that in 2025 electrically chargeable vehicles will make up 2%-8% of the market, depending on how quickly the various technological, infrastructure and socio-economic challenges can be addressed. Even as the electrically chargeable vehicle develops, the industry expects that for the foreseeable future the combustion engine will remain the dominant and most popular propulsion method, buttressed by alternative and hybrid drivetrains. Over time this may change as consumers become used to the vehicles and as infrastructure develops. However, it is difficult to predict precisely what future developments may lead to. And therefore relevant legislation in the EU institutions should continue to be ‘technologically neutral’.
The levels of CO2 emissions during Li-Ion battery production depend on the exact type and size of the Li-Ion battery as well as the specific supply chain structure. Thus there is a considerable range in data found in literature and based on automotive industry investigations. Furthermore, as for all new technology it can be expected that the specific emissions will decrease with economies of scale. In any case, CO2 emissions from battery production are not the decisive factor for the overall life cycle CO2 emissions of electrically chargeable vehicles (compared to other vehicles). the well-to-tank impact is much more important (see above).
EU vehicle manufacturers are world-wide technology leaders in fuel efficiency and safety. Electrically chargeable vehicles provide the opportunity for further EU leadership in engineering and also can encourage the competitiveness of the sector (e.g. further research and innovation), with a potential positive impact on employment in the EU also in other related sectors. A structural change is likely to occur in the medium-term, and which will have a significant impact on the relative utilisation of capital and labour. The exact format of the paradigm shift is, as yet, unknowable. Any change is likely to have an impact on economic growth, particularly if there is a shift away from production in Europe. Supportive policies from governments for battery production and battery technology research can help to keep this part of the value chain in Europe.
Only once a large volume of electrically chargeable vehicles has reached the market, it is likely that some extra supply of electric energy will be needed. However, even broad introduction of electrically chargeable vehicles would not meet the limits of generating capacity. Assuming the future energy consumption of an electrically chargeable passenger car to be in the order of 100-120 Wh/km and assuming an average 10,000 km traveled per year, it follows that 1 million vehicles will require about 1 TWh of energy which is only a minor fraction of the annual electricity output of the EU (2006: 3,400 TWh, source Eurostat). Smart charging can limit peak demand issues. With increasing number of electrically chargeable vehicles in coming future, there will be increased need for smart charging and a need for the balancing of demand and supply from the perspective of the energy generation and grid capacity. The final goal should be electrically chargeable vehicles powered by renewable energy.