Volvo Calls for Unified EV Charging Infrastructure

By CIOReview | Monday, May 16, 2016

Dr Peter Mertens, SVP for Research & Development, Volvo Cars

FREMONT CA: Owing to the depletion of natural resources, lower fuel efficiency and alarming rates of pollutions among conventional vehicles, Electric and Hybrid Electric vehicles pose as better alternatives. The current trends and demographics across IT, Automation, renewable energy harnessing etc. are aiding them gain momentum to eventually be mainstream. Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has called on the automotive industry to standardize electric car charging and thereby achieve a unified charging infrastructure across the globe. Such a move would enable convenient charging options for EV owners and would play a pivotal role in enhancing the acceptance of EVs among the public. It would be analogous to the advantage of having unified charger for all smart phones.

Volvo Cars has decided to throw its weight behind the Charging Interface Initiative, a consortium of stakeholders that was founded to establish their Combined Charging System (CCS) as the standard for charging battery-powered vehicles., The company, to promote the cause will offer a plug in hybrid variant on every new model as it replaces its entire product portfolio in the coming years. It will introduce a fully electric vehicle by 2019, based on its modular SPA vehicle architecture.

“Volvo Cars believes the global automotive industry should strive towards the introduction of standardized charging infrastructure for electric cars”, says Dr Peter Mertens, the company’s Senior Vice President for Research & Development. “We see that a shift towards fully electric cars is already underway, as battery technology improves, costs fall and charging infrastructure is put in place but while we are ready from a technology perspective, the charging infrastructure is not quite there yet. To really make range anxiety a thing of the past, a globally standardized charging system is sorely needed,” he added.

The Charging German association since 2015 includes Audi, BMW, Ford Europe, Mercedes (Daimler), Porsche and Volkswagen. It represents a standard that combines AC up to 43 kW continuous powers up to 200 kW. As reported by Automotive World, The Charging Interface Initiative is currently in the process of drawing up requirements for the evolution of charging-related standards and certification for use by car makers around the globe. Volvo, as a leading car manufacturer has prioritized research and development in the realm of electric vehicles for as long as 40 years and is one of the premier makers of plug-in hybrids with its Twin Engine technology.

“Our Twin Engine technology offers the low emissions, silence, convenience and performance of a pure electric car, combined with the range of a conventional power train. It offers the benefits of electrification already today,” added Dr. Mertens.