The virtual interview below, which you can read together with the others in this issue of Energy Journal , has Espen Hauge as the protagonist. Espen Hauge is President of the World Electric Vehicle Association [WEVA] and the European Association for Electromobility (AVERE). He has been engaged on the EV scene for 15 years. His career also includes project management, engineering, and research and development, with management experience from the oil and energy industry, and in construction, working for global companies such as ABB and GE, as well as for the City of Oslo.
The World Electric Vehicle Association [WEVA] and the European Association for Electromobility (AVERE) are strongly committed to developing and promoting sustainable mobility. In this respect, we have carried out several ‘virtual interview’, through extracts from experts’ interventions, in order to show the points of view of some of the key global personalities involved in deciding on mobility and transport .
With the new European Green Deal, the automotive sector is once again in the commission’s firing line. The current objective is to reach 95gCO2/km by 2021. In addition, more ambitious goals are set for 2030 and 2050. Reducing 90% of CO2 emissions by 2050 is a key objective. Do you think it is feasible achievement? What are some of the initiatives, currently in place, working in that direction?
“A recent study carried out by the European Alternative Fuels Observatory, underlined that we already have 1.2 million electric cars in Europe and nearly 200.000 public charging points. In addition, the main motorways across the continent will soon be equipped with ultra-fast charging points, according to recent reports. This highlights how the objectives set by the European Green Deal are feasible.”
Source: Les Echos, “D’ici quatre à six ans, la part de marché de l’électrique atteindra 50% dans plusieurs pays européens” ( https://www.lesechos.fr/thema/articles/espen-hauge-dici-quatre-a-six-ans-la-part-de-marche-de-lelectrique-atteindra-50-partout-en-europe-1013826 )
In order to achieve ambitious e-mobility goals, it is important to improve the technology utilized in the mobility sector. In this respect, what are some of the most important digital innovations?
“In many ways, EV technology is already superior to that of traditional cars. Green cars are more silent and more reactive. In this respect, a study we carried out at AVERE reveals that nearly 92% of EV owners are satisfied with their cars and would never go back to a car with an internal combustion engine. Thanks to the efficiency of electric motors, cars consume 50-80% less energy than a car with an internal combustion engine. Electric mobility is, of course, a friend of intelligent networks and plays a big role in the deployment of renewable energy. Indeed, cars are parked about 80-90% of the time and can be recharged in a fraction of that time. This allows great flexibility in the use of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind or sun”.
Espen Hauge: An interview with AVERE & WEVA ( https://www.electrive.com/2019/05/10/espen-hauge-an-interview-with-avere-weva/ )
Speaking of technology innovation, what are some of the most cutting-edge developments that could bring relevant transformations in the mobility sector?
“According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance, by 2030 the electric vehicle market will reach 30 million sales a year and there will be 500.000 circulating electric vehicles before 2040, which accounts for one out of every three cars on the road. It’s a staggering prediction that shows how European citizens and industries are, finally, embracing the key role of e-mobility. The main trends concern the rapid decrease in the cost of batteries by about 10-30% a year and, within four to six years, the price of electric battery vehicles that will be the same as that of cars with internal combustion engines. At this point, I trust that electric vehicles will reach a 50% market quota in various European countries. I’d even venture to say that, after 2025, purchasing a non-electric car will not be the best investment. As we wait for the prices to level out, government incentive policies are fundamental to drive sales. Furthermore, not only are batteries becoming cheaper every year, but they are also becoming more efficient, lighter and quicker to charge. I would like to remind that, only fifteen years ago, a 3.6 kW battery could only power a vehicle for 100 km after charging overnight. Now, we have 100 kW batteries that can drive vehicles over 300 km. after a short 30-minute charge. Basically, we can drive for three hours and just need a half an hour coffee break to recharge our electric vehicle”.
Espen Hauge: An interview with AVERE & WEVA ( https://www.electrive.com/2019/05/10/espen-hauge-an-interview-with-avere-weva/ )
