According to European Union estimates, there will be 30 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030. This expected growth not only means a larger electric car market but also a shift towards a more sustainable model.
New avenues for the industry's future are currently being explored and are linked to the energy transition and environmental benefits. Greener and more environmentally friendly energy sources to power the vehicles, higher-capacity batteries, cars with greater range and faster charging stations are some of the future projects on the table.
Powering vehicles with new, more environmentally friendly energy sources
As the market for electric vehicles grows, so too will the demand for electricity. One possible solution for sustainably supplying the growing number of charging stations is to opt for greener electricity that comes entirely from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power.
Photovoltaic charging stations, i.e. where the energy comes from solar panels, may be the next step in the evolution of these facilities.
Check out this article for more information about the main green energy sources.
Higher-capacity batteries for increased range
To lengthen the range of electric vehicles, research is focusing on developing smaller, higher-capacity batteries or replacing certain components, such as lithium, with others that take less time to run down.
Repurposing unused batteries or giving a second life to their polluting components may also be ways to help the electric vehicle industry grow more sustainably.
Click here for more information on how to give electric car batteries a second life.
Stations featuring new charging systems
The electric vehicle industry is currently developing new projects to make charging systems faster and more streamlined.
Some of the ideas being tossed around include large electric charging stations on roads to replace conventional petrol stations, ultra-fast charging points that recharge batteries in 10 minutes, and roads with induction and contact charging systems, as you can see in this article.