General Motors has cautiously welcomed the European Union’s decision to develop common charging systems for electric cars although it highlights the need not to add complexity.
European Commission (EC) vice president Antonio Tajani has given a mandate to European standardisation organisations CEN-CENELEC and ETSI to develop the systems which should ensure plugs and connectors will use the same standards irrespective of brands or countries.
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The EC is anticipating an introduction of the standards by the middle of next year but General Motors – itself to introduce its Ampera electric vehicle by the end of next year – believes that timetable to be optimistic.
“Mid-2011 seems to be very ambitious,” Opel’s director of technical communications in Russelsheim Andrew Marshall told just-auto. “It is important at this stage that whatever the standardisation is, that it makes electric mobility as easy as possible for the consumer.
“Next year we are bringing the Ampera to the market – recharged using a domestic power socket. We would not want to see anything that mandates any complexity between now and then.”
The EC mandate covers three specific areas, namely safe charging, EVs and their batteries operating in tandem with electricity supply points and so-called smart charging to allow users to access off-peak and therefore cheaper energy.
“Electric cars are no longer some abstract concept – in the very near future these will be on our roads,” said Tajani.
“To pave the way for their commercial success we cannot afford to have incompatible systems leading to a fragmented market in Europe. A common approach is therefore of importance both for European consumers and companies.”
