European standards will harmonise electric vehicle charging

New harmonised standards are being discussed that will allow recharging of electric vehicles across Europe.

The move is required as part of a drive to achieve sustainable transport, as standardisation of the connection between the electricity grid and electric vehicles will help e-mobility gain a viable market share. A single harmonised plug system is needed for the recharging of electric vehicles on both the vehicle and the infrastructure sides. Various motoring and industry associations are involved in the issue and all agree that this needs to be solved as soon as possible. Recharging infrastructure is already installed in different Member States but before this is phased in on a wider scale, standard technologies will need to be used. The 2465 European Commission has to ensure the implementation of a single solution for the charging of electrically-chargeable vehicles in Europe as a result. This move will provide predictability to investors, enable economies of scale, reduce costs for stakeholders and is essential in increasing user acceptance. At present different countries in Europe use different types of plugs for electrical apparatus. The two pin socket used widely in many countries is not considered safe in others for example and any new charging system will have to be acceptable to all European Member States.