There is no question that early adopters will struggle to find charging stations in the coming years. Until there is a charging network for electric cars, the demand for the vehicles will remain low at best. What should come first, the charging stations or the electric car consumers?
The city of London is taking action by attempting to include charging station policy that would require developments, both commercial and residential to include charging stations once the density of population breaks a pre-defined threshold. The city has also committed to public charging station networks to be matched by private investors and the national government.
In a recent panel hosted by ThinkLondon, the topic of conversation was an electric charging network that would be built as a open source model. In a conversation with one of the attendees, BusinessWeek quoted London’s climate change program chief, Padmesh Shukla with the following: ”Using the open platform model, the idea is to help foster development of common standards, tools, and practices for charge point developers, ensuring that all charging stations can operate with all electric models and generally create an environment in which electric car companies can prosper.”
Back home in the U.S., San Diego based company San Diego Gas and Electric is attempting an open-source model as well. According to BusinessWeek, San Diego Gas and Electric is working with the Renault-Nissan Alliance and multiple charging companies on ways to innovate a charging network that integrate with San Diego Gas and Electric’s grid.
It’s good to see that large cities like San Diego and London are attempting to build the infrastructure necessary to boost and retain demand for electric cars.
