As we all know, more than 14 countries and over 20 cities around the world have proposed banning the sale of passenger vehicles powered by fossil fuels, such as petrol, petroleum gas and diesel at some time in the future. All of this means that electric vehicles will be the future.
How far away are we from all-electric?
It’s probably somewhere between 20 years on the inside, if everything goes perfectly, to 30 years on the outside to get to 100%. Companies have to convert a tremendous amount of supply chain over to electric.
Every major auto producer has announced massive investments in electric vehicle and battery technology. General Motors, for example, announced a $25 billion investment in EV development, and that it will produce only electric vehicles by 2035. Globally, auto companies announced more than $300 billion in EV investments.
But EVs just won’t come alone. They will require new infrastructure and municipal planning, just as gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles do now. Most current parking lots don’t have the option to charge electric vehicles, so this is the first thing to change.
The US state Department of Environmental Protection has announced a nascent grant program to begin expanding that infrastructure to accommodate exponential growth in the number of electric vehicles on the road.
What can parking operators do?
The demand for electric vehicle (EV) charging is rapidly increasing and customers are starting to expect to have these services when they pay to park. If you’re the operator of a parking lot, EV charging is the easiest and most lucrative service you can offer. After all, charging stations shouldn’t cause any extra work for you. If you’re worried about the electricity, the simultaneous use of multiple chargers can cause a strain on the electricity system but, Virta’s smart charging features will help you control the charging load.
The opportunity to provide electric car charging will attract a lot of EV drivers to your parking facilities. And, as your EV charging stations are added to the network operator’s station map, you’ll get even more visibility and new customers to your parking lot. You can set an economical price to attract more customers, or charge a bit more to get a direct return on your investment – the decision is yours.
