Charging Challenges, SHUFFLE Solutions: Towards 2035
The European Union (EU) decided last year that, from 2035, all new cars sold in the EU cannot emit any CO2 – effectively banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from this date. This is part of a wider goal to make the transport sector carbon neutral by 2050. The car market is going “electric” in more ways than one – consumers are switching to electric vehicles (EVs) while local authorities are working out how to keep up with increased demand for charging points.
As EVs become more widespread and more autonomous, it is vital to ensure that the network of charging points is sufficiently dense, fast, accessible and affordable. This is a combination of factors that can only be guaranteed by smart, structured deployment - especially in city centres.
The Electric Car, and the Future Unfolding
Earlier this year, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) revealed an alarming gap between the current availability of public charging points, and what the continent needs to meet CO2 reduction targets. Sales of electric cars in the EU grew three times faster than the installation of charging points between 2017 and 2023 - and the EU needs eight times more charging points per year by 2030, according to industry estimates.
“Easy access to public charging points is not a ‘nice to have’, but an essential condition to decarbonise road transport, in addition to market support and a competitive manufacturing framework in Europe,” cautioned ACEA’s Director General, Sigrid de Vries. According to ACEA, just over 150,000 public charging points were installed across the EU last year, bringing the total number to over 630,000.
The EU Commission wants to see 3.5 million charging points installed by 2030. However, ACEA estimates that 8.8 million charging points will be needed by this date. To meet this target, 1.2 million charging points would need to be installed each year (or more than 22,000 per week) - eight times the recent annual installation rate. Whatever the target, more charging points are needed - and fast.
Cities are faced with a growing number of requests for permission to install charging stations. How can they ensure an even and balanced rollout of this essential infrastructure? There is a risk of anarchy, with every property owner claiming their "patch of pavement" and installing a charging cable, meaning citizens get their wires crossed – both literally and metaphorically. At the same time, it seems unfair to restrict access to city dwellers when the switch to electric cars will eventually be imposed on them. This is a major challenge for the smart city of the future.
A Belgian Solution
To encourage the switch to electric vehicles, Belgium introduced a tax system last year that favours electric mobility, particularly for company cars. With one in four employees benefiting from this advantage, this provision tends to confirm the figures that predict 1.5 million electric vehicles on our roads by 2030.
In Belgium, 60% of the charging capacity is provided by private individuals at home, 30% by companies in car parks, and the remaining 10% on roadsides, at petrol stations, supermarkets and similar public/private spaces. To curb the phenomenon of “cable clutter,” the municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, one of the most desirable postcodes in Brussels, drew up a strategic plan for the installation of charging points in public spaces.
Recognising that lighting columns are essential for the comfort and safety of the city's residents, they turned to our SHUFFLE LED lighting solution, which can integrate numerous functions in addition to lighting. They equipped four of the 22 SHUFFLEs installed in the Parvis Sainte-Alix with an electric car charging point. The result? Easy access for residents without cluttering up the public space.
SHUFFLE poles fitted with EV chargers make it much easier for residents in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre to charge their cars
Charging Ahead
The picture is far from uniform across Europe. While some countries are in the fast lane when it comes to rolling out EV infrastructure, others are stuck in first gear. According to ACEA, just three EU countries – the Netherlands, France, and Germany - are home to almost two-thirds (61%) of all EU charging points, with the other 24 member states lagging behind.
There is a strong correlation between the availability of public charging points and sales of electric vehicles. The list of the top five countries with the highest EV sales is broadly similar to the list of countries with the most charging points: Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Italy appear in both top five lists, ACEA notes.
SHUFFLE can be a creative solution to expand deployment quickly. Connected to a constant power supply and serviced regularly, poles can be installed in locations like car parks or motorway service stations - which need energy-efficient lighting anyway - and then used as both a primary charging point or as an ‘overflow’ when all other charging points are in use.
Clarity for Citizens and Businesses
With 59 charging points installed in various locations, the district of Oeiras, on the outskirts of Lisbon, has the most extensive and modern network of public charging points for electric vehicles in Portugal. Seventeen of the charging points are integrated in SHUFFLE poles and their availability is visible from afar thanks to an illuminated ring at the top. What's more, a light point just above the charger makes users feel safer after dark. A true Smart City strategy combines citizen convenience and sustainability.
Oeiras installed SHUFFLE poles with EV chargers to promote greener mobility
Regions, municipalities, towns and cities are all working hard to increase electric charging capacity in their areas, but the private sector is also getting involved. In Belgium, where electric company cars are encouraged, employers also benefit from making charging straightforward. While some provide funds to install individual charging points at their employees' homes, others are investing in workplace solutions.
Phoenix Contact in Zaventem has decided to equip its car parks intelligently. Seventeen SHUFFLE poles have been installed to blend in perfectly with the modern architecture of the building. The integration of charging points, coupled with their smart lighting management system to adapt the lighting to requirements, reflects the innovative spirit of Phoenix Contact. It's an innovation that could lead to the emergence of "Smart Parking" in the near future. But that's a story for another time.
SHUFFLE poles with a light ring indicate whether an EV charger is available or not
Smart Developments, Less Carbon
As our vehicle fleet becomes greener, there are many challenges to overcome. That's why they need to be tackled in a smart way that works intelligently with a city’s urban vision. In this context, we are pleased to play our part in helping public authorities and the private sector to design and develop spaces that respond to this strategy, while building a sustainable future.
Would you like to know more about our electric car charging solution integrated into our SHUFFLE multi-functional pole?
About the writer
David joined Schréder Hyperion in 2021 as Smart Cities Solutions Manager, leading the development and implementation of the global smart city strategy for the Schréder Group, as well as the strategy for the SHUFFLE smart pole. He brings a wealth of experience, having worked for Lisbon City Council for 16 years, where he held various roles in ICT, and was Senior Advisor to the City Council, overseeing the Information and Communication Technology and Digital Transformation portfolios, through the creation, implementation and continuous development of a Smart Lisbon strategy, leading a wide range of projects and initiatives.
During this period, he also led Lisbon's participation in Horizon 2020's Sharing Cities, a collaborative programme involving 6 cities over 5 years and supported by €24 million of EU funding, coordinating the city's consortium of eight public and private organisations. The programme aimed to design, test and implement affordable, large-scale smart city solutions with significant market potential, involving over 100 municipalities across Europe.
Today, David is also Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee and Chairman of the Requirements Workgroup of the TALQ Consortium.
Connect with David on LinkedIn.