4 ms·

Why would an electric SUV have any more demand for parking than a non-electric SUV?

paulmd 3y ago
Surely you must admit that parking space depends on factors other than the physical size of the vehicle? For example, consider a BMW...
sokoloff 3y ago
I'm pro-EV and happily daily-drive one, but I think it's fair to conclude that the need for 1-hour to 8-hour+ charging means that the "space needed for parking while energy is being dispensed" is higher fleet-wide for EVs than for ICE vehicles. We don't think of nor call it "parking" at the gas pump, but we do at a charging station. There's a reason that's the case. Many people will have a dedicated charging space at home (taking up only epsilon extra space for the charger), but all the Tesla super-charger, Chargepoints, EVGo, ElectrifyAmerica, etc en route chargers will require more parking space per EV than the equivalent petrol station per ICE.
- varjag 3y ago
  This is negligible fraction of percent over total parking spaces. Most EV owners charge at home.
  - iso1631 3y ago
    Even with a charging station the extra space is minimal compared to the larger size of parking space you need to park an SUV rather than a normal car
  - fbdab103 3y ago
    Huge fraction of potential EV owners lack the ability to charge at home.
    - varjag 3y ago
      In the city I live EV ownership is at 37%. Very few charge at public charging spots daily. What happens is places that lack the ability gain the ability pretty quick.
      - jeffbee 3y ago
        Not bad! What city is that? In Berkeley, California the share of EVs on the road is only about 5% today.
        iso1631 3y ago
        Norway has a fair number on the road - about 1 in 4 across the country. Quite plausible that some areas are even higher.
        varjag 3y ago
        Bergen, Norway
    - iso1631 3y ago
      if you drive 14,000 miles a year (US average -- twice that of EU average), you need to pull in 4,500 kWh a year. At a 150kW charger that would be 30 hours of charging, or an average 5 minutes a day. One charger would thus serve 200 cars in the US, 400 in the EU. In the UK 2-in-3 cars have private parking space and thus potential for home charging. I expect the US to be a fair higher number as there's more space, but lets stay that figure. That would make one charger serve 600 cars in the US, 1200 in the EU. The largest chargers I've seen are half a parking space for two spaces. Thus to serve 280 million cars you need to provide charging for 100 million, which at 600:1 car:charger ratio would be 160,000 chargers. There are about 115,000 gas sations in the US. 2 chargers per gas station, using a total of 2.5 parking spaces, would be enough. Thus moving to 100% EV would save massive amounts of space across the country.
- _ea1k 3y ago
  I'm not convinced that those factors would lead to a net increase. Every day I see cars parked at gas stations for 5 minute fillups. Then they go home or to work to normal parking spaces. EVs eliminate that middle parking spot most of the time. And, tbh, even on road trips, gas cars spend a significant amount of time stopped. They just spend less of that stopped time getting fuel.
- crote 3y ago
  I'm not convinced this is actually the case. Fast chargers are basically only needed along highways, where they take the place of gas stations. You only need those for long-distance driving, but most driving is short-distance. On the other hand, a lot of slow/midspeed chargers are basically just regular destination parking spots equipped with a charger. They take up zero additional space. As EVs become more and more common, we'll see an increasing number of parking spots being equipped with chargers. Because this allows EVs to charge where they are parked anyways this means you can essentially get rid of gas stations inside cities - which ends up saving space. Right now we just happen to be in a bit of an awkward in-between phase. When the majority of cars are EVs, the ecosystem will change to fit them better.

Surely you must admit that parking space depends on factors other than the physical size of the vehicle? For example, consider a BMW...

sokoloff 3y ago

I'm pro-EV and happily daily-drive one, but I think it's fair to conclude that the need for 1-hour to 8-hour+ charging means that the "space needed for parking while energy is being dispensed" is higher fleet-wide for EVs than for ICE vehicles. We don't think of nor call it "parking" at the gas pump, but we do at a charging station. There's a reason that's the case. Many people will have a dedicated charging space at home (taking up only epsilon extra space for the charger), but all the Tesla super-charger, Chargepoints, EVGo, ElectrifyAmerica, etc en route chargers will require more parking space per EV than the equivalent petrol station per ICE.

varjag 3y ago
This is negligible fraction of percent over total parking spaces. Most EV owners charge at home.
- iso1631 3y ago
  Even with a charging station the extra space is minimal compared to the larger size of parking space you need to park an SUV rather than a normal car
- fbdab103 3y ago
  Huge fraction of potential EV owners lack the ability to charge at home.
  - varjag 3y ago
    In the city I live EV ownership is at 37%. Very few charge at public charging spots daily. What happens is places that lack the ability gain the ability pretty quick.
    - jeffbee 3y ago
      Not bad! What city is that? In Berkeley, California the share of EVs on the road is only about 5% today.
      - iso1631 3y ago
        Norway has a fair number on the road - about 1 in 4 across the country. Quite plausible that some areas are even higher.
      - varjag 3y ago
        Bergen, Norway
  - iso1631 3y ago
    if you drive 14,000 miles a year (US average -- twice that of EU average), you need to pull in 4,500 kWh a year. At a 150kW charger that would be 30 hours of charging, or an average 5 minutes a day. One charger would thus serve 200 cars in the US, 400 in the EU. In the UK 2-in-3 cars have private parking space and thus potential for home charging. I expect the US to be a fair higher number as there's more space, but lets stay that figure. That would make one charger serve 600 cars in the US, 1200 in the EU. The largest chargers I've seen are half a parking space for two spaces. Thus to serve 280 million cars you need to provide charging for 100 million, which at 600:1 car:charger ratio would be 160,000 chargers. There are about 115,000 gas sations in the US. 2 chargers per gas station, using a total of 2.5 parking spaces, would be enough. Thus moving to 100% EV would save massive amounts of space across the country.
_ea1k 3y ago
I'm not convinced that those factors would lead to a net increase. Every day I see cars parked at gas stations for 5 minute fillups. Then they go home or to work to normal parking spaces. EVs eliminate that middle parking spot most of the time. And, tbh, even on road trips, gas cars spend a significant amount of time stopped. They just spend less of that stopped time getting fuel.
crote 3y ago
I'm not convinced this is actually the case. Fast chargers are basically only needed along highways, where they take the place of gas stations. You only need those for long-distance driving, but most driving is short-distance. On the other hand, a lot of slow/midspeed chargers are basically just regular destination parking spots equipped with a charger. They take up zero additional space. As EVs become more and more common, we'll see an increasing number of parking spots being equipped with chargers. Because this allows EVs to charge where they are parked anyways this means you can essentially get rid of gas stations inside cities - which ends up saving space. Right now we just happen to be in a bit of an awkward in-between phase. When the majority of cars are EVs, the ecosystem will change to fit them better.