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The challenge with the electric charging infrastructure is not the number of endpoints, but rather the amount of energy being transported. The underground cabl
by LeonM 7y ago
The challenge with the electric charging infrastructure is not the number of endpoints, but rather the amount of energy being transported.
The underground cables for streetlights have been dimensioned for the power draw of light bulbs (~100W each), not for a charging car (10kW or more).
Even if you change those cables: The distribution box for those streetlights is only dimensionded for say 100 lights (~10kW), not 100 charging cars (~1MW).
Even if you change the distribution box, the cable to that distribution box... well you get the point by now.
- adrianN 7y agoYou don't need all that many Watts. Cars are parked about 23h a day. Electric cars need something like 20kWh/100km. Most people don't drive 100km a day, so on average you need a lot less than 1kW per car if every parking spot is also a charging point.
- brnt 7y agoThe problem with this line of thinking is that you are designing for the average case, while current fuel infra is designed for (almost) any case. A third of people will be a sigma or more off from you estimate of 100km max, which may mean that for one in 6 this solution will not be sufficient. It would be a pity if you're talking half measures only designed to fit a narrow use case. It is both strictly worse, and I suspect will affect people who have little other options disproportionately. (People who need long range may live further, because they are poorer, emergency vehicles who need the range, travellers/irregular travel).
- adrianN 7y agoThe current fuel infrastructure is definitely not designed for any case. Gas stations run out of gas almost immediately in case of a rush to fill tanks (e.g. because of some crisis). Similarly loading infra won't be able to to handle everybody suddenly needing their cars fully charged from empty. For the rare cases where people actually need more range than can be filled over a day with low power charging, there can always be a separate network of fast chargers. There is absolutely no need to design every parking spot for fast charging.
- jaclaz 7y agoStill, the infastructure (if old) has been dimensioned for max 250 W per lamp post, if recent (LED lamps) for 80-100 W at the most. So, the increase in power need (according to your 1 kW) is between 4 and 10 times. Also if a lamp post is every 30 meters and each car takes 5 meters, each post needs to serve 6 cars. And we are already between 24 and 40 times. Besides, how long is the cable of an electric car (the one on-board)? You will need to have a 20 m cable on board if you happen to park in a spot mid-way betwen two 30 m spaced lamp posts.
- adrianN 7y agoNot to long ago we switched from gas lights to electric lights. That seems like a more difficult change than beefing up the electric infrastructure. I'm sure we'll manage.
- jaclaz 7y agoSure it can be done (technically), as often happens the issue is about the related costs, that are not at all trivial. Who will finance the new installations? Where will the newly added (or enlarged) electric cabins be put (in already densely populated/built EU cities)?