Electric Vehicle represents a step change in mobility, energy usage and production, consumer behaviour and technological innovation. For it fully to be deployed successfully for users and suppliers, it will also require the selection and sustaining of economic choices at national and international levels, underpinned by political understanding of the challenges and changes involved. Regions are also important, especially where they are taking a lead role in EV at its initial stages.
The EV and low-carbon challenge coincides with the current global economic crisis. To date, there has been no coordinated response at, for example, the European level – by the European Commission – to deal with these double challenges for car manufacturers and consumers, especially during the recent economic downturn. One of the key issues in this action research work is to take stock of what individual countries and regions are doing, what are the ingredients for sustainable success, and how new policy instruments can best be designed to ensure that EV and EV infrastructure meet the known and anticipated market trends in this sector, with a prime focus on opportunities for local authorities.
ITEMS has conducted different studies in Europe on EV. Taking profit of our contacts and sector insights, we have carrying out benchmarks, tracking and evaluating the progress of EV in locations which have engaged in EV developments. Works have examined i,n following countries the current state of the art, the economic, political and financial contexts, and the technological challenges involved:
China, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Portugal, UK, USA
Impacts of EV are potentially huge :
- for the Automotive sector itself,
- for the SMEs who are the providers of this industry,
- for the intermediate services players,
- for users.
ITEMS with Smart Grids Consulting provide a strategic approach that includes assistance for local authorities who have to face to:
- Infrastructure issues,
- Environmental constraints,
- Economic issues,
- Legal issues including setup of PPP,
- Challenges in professionals skills.
