How important is the EV infrastructure in the UK?
EV infrastructure (Electric Vehicle) is a huge topic, not only in the UK but worldwide. The investments that are being made by individuals and companies, as well as councils and even the government, shows how important this strategy is.
What is EV Infrastructure?
According to the Law Insider, electric vehicle infrastructure means “structures, machinery and equipment necessary and integral to support an electric vehicle including battery charging stations, rapid charging stations and battery exchange stations”.
The “structure” that is required to ensure that electric vehicles can be successfully implemented is crucial if we are to meet the government’s goals of rolling out the end of all new petrol and diesel cars being sold by 2030. Without the infrastructure to charge electric vehicles, this will not be a possibility. There simply will not be the supply available for the demand if the charging points aren’t rolled out quickly and efficiently.
How important is the EV infrastructure in the UK?
For the UK, this is a massive task. There are a lot of considerations to be made, such as making these charging points accessible to people living in flats and apartments, thinking about how to integrate these points into public roads and making them affordable and accessible to everyone.
If the government truly wants to get this initiative off the ground, they will need help, lots of it and in a variety of areas.
We are all too aware of the impact humans are having on the world. Cars are significantly to blame, with the emissions that they put out into the atmosphere, so in order to combat this, things need to change and no more so than on our tiny, densely populated island.
How can igus® help with this EV strategy?
As I mentioned earlier, help will be required on a range of levels and rethinking technologies and considering certain challenges will be key. The decline of the internal combustion engine means the rising of electric and this can only be a positive thing for companies like igus®. Supporting manufacturers in replacing traditional and conventional parts with lightweight, long lasting and economically friendly polymer parts seems fitting with the positive impact that moving from petrol and diesel cars will make.
All igus® products are made from polymer plastics but not single use plastics. Our polymers are designed to last longer than metal components, be better for the environment with the elimination of external greases, and with a weight reduction these features could all help with EV charging points and infrastructure.
e-tract cable retraction can help
One of the products that has recently been released to the market is the e-tract 2.0 cable retraction system. They are being rolled out as mobile terminals for connecting cables safely. The e-tract has a multiple deflection system allowing long extension lengths, which is especially helpful where there are limited installation spaces. Not only will the cables be stored neatly and safely, the cables are protected from the elements and also protection from theft.
To help with sustainability, the e-tract shell can be manufactured from recycled plastic! If you want to read other way in which igus® is working towards sustainable issues read this blog https://blog.igus.co.uk/why-is-sustainability-important/
Change is always difficult, however, it is becoming more and more vital that we embrace change for a multitude of reasons: environmental, cost, lack of space, both work and home and general wellbeing. And whether electric vehicles will be the future or not, this is still open to debate, the UK needs to be ready for the change and igus® will be ready to help support customers with whatever they need.
