EV charging market now increasingly supported by cellular networks
Although often in easily-accessible public places that are well-served by infrastructure, public EV charge points, or charging piles within multi-charger sites, need communications capabilities in addition to electricity connections. It may seem obvious that fixed-line connections could be run to terminals but this does not take account of large car parks at highway service areas that are seldom networked by cables. In addition, adoption of wireless connectivity can simplify and accelerate charge point rollout and provide a useful backup to fixed connectivity.
The installed base of charging points is set to hit 22.8 million in 2025 according to estimates from research firm Berg Insight, which sees the market in Europe and North America dominated by private charging points. The uptake of electric vehicles is driving this trend and approximately 1.8 million units are expected to shipped in North America and Europe in 2025. The firm expects the number of connected charging points in the two regions to reach 7.9 million in 2025. EV charge point operators (CPOs) currently operate however in a fragmented market as the industry is still growing and the infrastructure is not fully established.
The global deployment of EV charging stations will increase at a 31% CAGR to more than 66 million units by 2030. The preferences for the type and location of the charging infrastructure are remarkably different across the major regions, with the Greater China region expected to account for more than 60% of the global public and semi-public charging stations deployed by 2030.
As the market matures, cellular connectivity at charging points could be used to offer additional services to EV owners and also to support a growing ecosystem around EVs. The integration of communications equipment into EV charging stations can improve operations and service in several ways. Charging stations can be equipped with load balancing functions to reduce strain on local grids, while charge point operators can monitor and manage their charging stations remotely. Electric vehicle drivers, in turn, can locate chargers, monitor charging availability, book chargers and manage payments using a smartphone app.
Quectel is already working with leading CPOs across the globe, and its module portfolio and comprehensive range of antennas can offer CPOs the capabilities they need to enable connectivity in their charging points. Read our white paper to find out more about how the EV charging market is evolving to become ever more connected, how that evolution is being driven by LPWA and LTE Cat 1 connections, and how we can help those planning a move in this space.