Believe it or not, it’s still early days for electric vehicles (EVs).
While the industry pivots to meet government sales targets amid slowing EV demand, barriers to adoption still stand in the way for many Canadian drivers. There are, however, a handful of innovations on the way that could be game-changers for EVs, making them more convenient and compelling. Here are four to keep an eye out for in the coming years.
Bi-Directional Energy Transfer
Most EVs today typically only allow one-way power transfer, which is used to recharge the battery, but more EVs in the future will be capable of two-way power transfer. This enables an EV to be used as a power source for a campsite or job site, but taking it a step further, many will begin to offer vehicle-to-home bi-directional energy transfer.
Homeowners typically charge their EVs overnight when the electricity is cheaper during off-peak hours; but with bi-directional charging, they can then use their EVs to supply power back to their homes during on-peak hours to cut overall energy consumption – and lower bills as a result. This can also be helpful during a power outage.
This setup requires a compatible EV and a specialized circuit breaker that can manage the bi-directionality. Very few EVs are currently available with this technology (the Ford F-150 Lightning and Kia EV9 are just a couple), but it’s bound to become more common in the future. The energy transfer happens at a speed that won’t degrade battery life, and drivers will also be able to set percentage limits or timers so they can ensure they will always have enough charge in their EVs to get around.
EVs Shipping with Level 2 Chargers
EVs generally come with chargers that can be plugged into regular 120-volt outlets, but they’re incredibly slow. Some EVs can take 50 hours or more to get a full charge from a household outlet.
More EVs, however, are shipping with onboard chargers capable of Level 2 charging speeds, meaning drivers won’t need to install specialized charging equipment at home. While this setup still requires a 240-volt outlet that will need to be professionally installed (if you don’t already have one in a convenient location), it removes the barrier of needing to budget for the charging station/hardware itself and also adds a level of portability that isn’t possible with a traditional charging station.
Solid-State Batteries
Solid-state batteries might be the biggest game-changer on the horizon for EVs. They’re lighter, more compact, more energy dense, they charge faster, and they perform more consistently in extreme temperatures, which all adds up to more range and increased convenience.
Toyota says it is working on solid-state batteries that will offer over 1,200 km of range and charge from 10 to 80 per cent in under 10 minutes. This would make EVs wildly more convenient than they are now, especially for people who travel long distances or can’t charge at home. This addresses a lot of the big pain points with current EVs, the majority of which use lithium-ion batteries.
There’s a lot of research and development happening in this space, with some automakers saying solid-state batteries will be in production vehicles by 2025. While that timeframe is ambitious and we likely won’t see these efficient batteries in production vehicles for many years, when they finally get here and production costs normalize, solid-state batteries will dramatically change the EV landscape.
Wireless Charging
Your phone and toothbrush already have wireless charging, so it’s only a matter of time until this tech makes its way into cars. The idea here is that there’s a charging pad on the ground and drivers will place their EVs over it so they can be charged inductively (without plugging it in). Automakers like BMW and Volvo have been testing this tech and say they have managed to develop systems that can charge at speed betweens Level 2 and 3 (less than 50 kW). This makes charging more convenient, but it can only be used when a car is stationary.
Taking it a step further, some companies are working on dynamic wireless charging, which can charge EVs as they drive. Stellantis has been working on infrastructure that can inductively charge specially-equipped EVs without the need to remain stationary. A use case might be a dedicated lane on the highway or a popular road where properly-equipped EVs or buses can drive and charge simultaneously. This tech likely won’t be ready anytime soon, but it could be a game-changer when it’s finally here and widely adopted.
