As car manufacturers gather at Autoworld in Brussels this week (March 6-7), transport and energy industry leaders will smooth the way for electric vehicles (EVs) to reach Europe's mass market. To achieve this, we are considering regulatory issues, including how to break the impasse over data.
On behalf of the European power industry, Eurelectric's Secretary General Christian Ruby discussed the group's latest report on the future of EVs with Euronews. The report states that the future success of the industry will largely depend on data interoperability, information sharing between all parties in the ecosystem, and data interoperability. Integration of vehicles within smart grids. As EVs become increasingly connected, there is a risk that sensitive data related to location, driving habits, and personal preferences could be compromised or misused. Ruby argued that it is important to balance privacy concerns with the need for data to optimize EV performance and grid integration. Ruby answered questions from energy and environment reporter Marta Pacheco.
Few drivers understand how data sharing can improve their experience. What benefits does data sharing bring?
In the coming years, we will experience a rapid transformation of mobility. Around 75 million electric vehicles are expected to be on the road by 2030, which means charging infrastructure needs to be ready. This requires preparing the power grid behind the charging infrastructure, and all of this needs to happen while people are using their cars.
Improving the exchange of data about vehicle performance, battery charge level, charging direction, etc. will help charging point operators understand driving patterns and help distribution system operators find where charging is needed. Helpful. Strengthen the grid. Similarly, data from charging point operators about which charging points are currently in use can help EV drivers make informed decisions about where to go to charge.
How willing are drivers to sacrifice privacy for customer experience?
In the digital economy, we are once again seeing that people are willing to share some of their personal data if the service is good enough. Fundamentally, it's all about the quality of the service and trust in the fact that your data will be treated with care and your privacy will be respected.
For drivers planning to drive across the EU, what is the status of the development of charging stations? Can drivers rely on recharging within the EU?
The good news on the infrastructure front is that EV fast chargers are now 10 times more powerful than they were five years ago. This significantly reduces charging time and improves the overall charging experience for drivers. The bad news is that charging infrastructure is still very unevenly deployed across member states. Additionally, closed subscription systems present challenges. In the early stages of e-mobility adoption, the natural business model for companies that installed large-scale charging infrastructure was to offer people a subscription to this particular infrastructure. But as we move towards e-mobility as the standard for all passenger vehicles, we also need to develop better systems for interoperability. Imagine you're on the highway with a gas car, you pass a Shell station and a BP station, but you can't go get gas because you don't have a subscription. That's not a good customer experience. We need to build a system where there is still an opportunity to own charging infrastructure, make money and run a good business, but at the same time people can use that infrastructure without necessarily being subscribers.
What are the biggest challenges facing the EV sector in achieving full data interoperability?
First, we need to focus on implementation. The EU has developed a number of laws and requirements regarding what kind of data can be shared, for example in relation to car batteries. Getting everyone to follow suit will be an important first step.
Second, industry standards must be developed in many specific locations. This includes, for example, standardized communication protocols for automakers, roaming networks for charging, grid congestion heat maps for strategic infrastructure planning, smart grid integration and establishing a common platform to break down data silos. means.
Existing EU legislation such as the Renewable Energy Directive, the European Buildings Performance Directive, the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation and the Data Act all support data exchange, but what further regulations can help harmonize and standardize EV data? Is it necessary?
I think the list of directives here speaks for itself. It is clear that many data sharing requirements are already enshrined in law. I also think we need to be clear that we don't necessarily want to micromanage every aspect of this.
An important next step for me is for industry players to come together and work more closely together to define industry standards in some of the areas where data exchange is required but not necessarily mandated by law. That would be an important first step and would allow things to move forward without waiting for a new legislative cycle to pass.
That said, the European Commission's initiative on Vehicle Data Law to encourage vehicle data sharing will help accelerate EV uptake and unlock greater data interoperability, allowing existing We welcome it as it complements the law.
Much of the data critical to the success of e-mobility is now organized at Member State or local level. A clear example is the flow of data and power capacity associated with network construction projects. This means that Member States also have a role to play in helping to promote and improve cooperation on date exchange.
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