Electric vehicles can help reduce emissions from the transport sector, but this requires planning and extensive infrastructure. Unlike fuel pumps, which can fill up diesel and gasoline cars in minutes, most EV chargers (Levels 1 and 2) need several hours to fully charge a car's battery. This is still a limitation for electric vehicle owners, who would benefit from the widespread availability of DC fast chargers.
Converting petrol stations into electric vehicle charging stations is a promising concept, recently demonstrated by Shell in Fulham, London. The company upgraded a gas station with nine electric vehicle chargers, rated at 175 kW each, capable of recharging electric vehicles to 80% capacity in 10 minutes. The charging station includes a convenience store where electric vehicle owners can wait or buy groceries while their cars recharge.
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EV chargers can now be found in many types of commercial buildings, including shopping centers and department stores. However, dedicated charging stations that offer the convenience and speed of a gas station are still rare.
Designing an Electric Vehicle Charging Station
At first glance, fast charging stations for EVs may appear similar to conventional gas stations. However, each type of service station requires a different layout to function effectively. Unlike fuel pumps, which require cars to be parked in parallel, Electric Vehicle Chargers can use the same layout as parking spaces.
- For a given area of land, the number of EV fast chargers you can install will be greater than the number of fuel pumps.
- Having more electric vehicle chargers leads to shorter wait times, and the space savings are especially valuable in places like New York City.
Just like fuel pumps, electric vehicle charging stations can be combined with convenience stores, drugstores, fast food restaurants, cafes, etc. Electric vehicle chargers are becoming common in commercial buildings like shopping centers and department stores, but they don't offer the convenience and speed of having a small store next to a fuel pump.
EV charging areas can also be used to install rooftops with solar panels, making available space even more productive. DC fast chargers have a high power consumption, typically over 50 kW per unit, which means you need hundreds of solar panels for even a small number of them. However, solar panels can help offset the consumption of smaller loads at the charging station, such as the lights used around DC chargers and inside the convenience store.
How electric vehicle charging infrastructure can benefit cities
The main benefit of widespread access to fast charging is being able to use more Electric vehicles . This eliminates direct emissions from roads, which is an advantage even if the grid still relies on fossil fuels.
- Traditional cars release emissions right in the middle of cities, where the population is exposed to them. The US EPA has linked these emissions to many health problems, including heart and lung disease.
- An EV charged with electricity from fossil fuels still produces emissions indirectly. However, they are transferred to power plants and away from urban areas, mitigating their impact on health.
Of course, the prospects are even better when EVs are charged with renewable sources such as solar and wind energy. In this case, direct and indirect emissions are eliminated. EVs can also take advantage of distributed generation in homes and businesses, reducing their load on transmission lines. In fact, electric vehicle chargers can achieve synergy with solar panels and wind turbines, which have a variable power output. When there is surplus production from renewable sources, this can be used to charge EVs at reduced costs.
Global EV sales grew 80% in 2021, according to Dive Utilidade , and this is driving demand for lithium batteries and fast charging. As the number of EVs on the road increases, the business case for converting more gas stations into fast charging areas will improve. Currently, most EV charging infrastructure in the US is concentrated in coastal cities and freeways. DC fast chargers can now be found at many gas stations, but stations just for electric vehicles, like the one recently opened by Shell in the UK, are still rare.
