A worldwide shortage of components has been named as the top obstruction to the roll out of electric vehicle infrastructure in a new report from EV charging consultancy Versinetic.

While EV production has ramped up in 2021, charge post manufacturers have disclosed that a global shortage of computer chips has slowed down their production, according to the report. This shortage is directly linked to pandemic-related constraints on the supply chain, and the UK faces additional delays due to new trade laws with Europe.

If chips remain scarce in the coming months, it will unavoidably slow down the transition to EVs.

Versinetic also says that “the shortage is affecting EV charger components, such as connectors and CPUs.

“In a real programme to migrate AC chargers to higher power DC, a project is being held up with the result that 22kW chargers are being left in place.”

It also states that the chip shortage is adding to the unreliability of current charging points. This is leading to the necessity for more en-route charging, which is extending journey times.

Versinetic’s report also details several other factors that are in the way of the transition to EVs:

The report cites the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), who said that by the end of 2020 only 6.5% of the automotive sector workforce was EV ready. Furthermore, the IMI says there are only an estimated 13,000 - 20,000 qualified technicians to service and repair the approximately 380,000 plug-in electric or hybrid cars on UK roads.

There is also a growing need for software talent, as future cars and infrastructure will rely on programming languages for the development of embedded systems and tools used for testing.

The National Grid will have to grow its capacity in line with the growth of electric cars, as “the UK is facing an S curve in demand for charging”. Versinetic estimates that the UK will be approaching 100% electric cars (40M cars) by 2040. While not all 40M will need charging nightly, the report believes 20GW per night will be used for charging, but the National Grid should be able to handle this by that point.

A bigger problem comes with maintaining system stability when it comes to energy distribution at street level.  If everyone installs a typical 7kW EV charger, there could be too much demand for high levels of electricity at peak times (between 6 and 8pm), and this could cause electricity overload.

The wiring in homes could also affect the installation of domestic chargers, as it is inconsistent.

Currently there is a disparity between the cost of producing an internal combustion engine of around £1,000 to £2,500 per unit and an electric powertrain around £8,000 per unit, but it is believed that electric cars and vans will become cheaper to produce than fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2027.

However, the installation and management of charge points at businesses, car parks etc. is not as lucrative as it may seem. They typically cost £10,000 to £20,000 each, and do not pay for themselves quickly.

Versinetic believes that “to avoid a market which has an inadequate number of high-powered chargers, there needs to be another means of financing.” It suggests socially-subsidised charging and loyalty schemes as options that are open to business owners.

The demand for lithium has skyrocketed as it is used not only in EVs but computers and phones. Lithium demand could triple by 2025. The UK does not currently have any commercial lithium production.

Cobalt is another key element in the batteries, and is more expensive than all the other battery materials put together.

Scientists are looking at ways to cut down the rare, expensive and problematic metals that are used in batteries.

Work is also underway to increase battery life and to improve their recyclability.

The placement and frequency of on-street chargers could easily cause obstructions and congestion.

Possibilities to mitigate this include the creation of neighbourhood EV charging points combined with a substation to provide a method of monetising charging by providing baseload. This would also take cars off the street.

Wireless charging could also be an option, though cars currently in production do not have this capability.

Standardising EV charging us essential to allow universal accessibility, which in turn would aid in their wider acceptance.

Read Versinetic’s Key barriers to EV charging infrastructure Rollout report in full here.

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