How will EVs affect the commercial sector?

The increased popularity of electric vehicles is becoming a game-changer in the automotive industry. Thanks to the go green initiative, most people have realised that electronic cars can reduce operational emissions, which is very good for the environment. The rapid shift can have a massive effect on the economy, most so positive ones, but there might be some negative implications.

In the past few years, the bulk of the electric vehicles manufactured mostly comprised of light-duty cars. The situation is changing gradually, as the production of heavier vehicles is expected. This is all thanks to advancements in the battery chemistry and having more models coming online. Some of the heavy commercial vehicles expected are:

Electric trucks
They comprise of both medium and heavy-duty trucks. The market for these trucks is slowly growing, but not so much. They are mostly used for short-haul trucking. The battery is their main restrictive feature as it has a lower energy density. In the near future, advancements in technology and battery chemistry will allow for long haul trucking taking over from fuel-powered trucks. Also, with the low air and noise pollution, electric trucks may be allowed into low or zero-emission zones in a few years to come.

Electric buses
These would be beneficial in public transport in the city and school buses. With support from the government, there is an expected growth in the electric bus market. Having electric buses for public transport can help to lower air pollution in cities by a good margin and also provide low cost transport. This is the main reason why the government supports the manufacturing of electric buses.

Electric vans
These are becoming very common for organisations running their activities in city centres. With strict policies put in place on pollution, diesel vans are losing popularity as many operators opt for electric vans. The improved battery life and range enables drivers to do all their routs without having to worry. Also, the growing popularity of the electric vans has brought the opportunity of installing car charging infrastructure at depots.

Adopting EVs will increase demand for the existing jobs and provide many opportunities for new ones. The battery and the charging infrastructure is the most likely sector in EVs manufacturing that will most likely generate the highest employment opportunities. It will also generate new employment opportunities in the charging points due to the growth of EVs usage; they will undoubtedly require more people to operate and run them.

Most people shift to electric vehicles because of their cheaper running costs compared to the fuel-powered ones. With the current fluctuating fuel prices, it is more advantageous to own an electric-powered vehicle as the EV charging costs are surprisingly meagre. People who own cars that have high consumption fuel engines can benefit significantly from switching to electric vehicles. Small goods vehicle drivers are not left behind as they can acquire electric vans and continue with their jobs at low running costs compared to having traditional combustion engine trucks. The shift to electric-powered cars will significantly reduce the consumption of fuel.

The increasing sales of EVs has brought a big challenge when it comes to car charging infrastructure. The government should acknowledge the shortage and invest more on installing charging infrastructure as more drivers opt to buy electric vehicles. To reduce this congestion on the available charging infrastructures, electric car owners are encouraged to install their car charging facilities at home.

To meet the extra energy demands arising from the increased numbers of electronic vehicles, alternative methods to generate electricity need to be looked at. Without good investments on significant additional electricity generation, the high number of electric vehicles being bought will put stress on the electricity infrastructure. This will require massive investment on other alternatives methods of generating electricity to keep up with the high-power usage.

It is with no doubt that switching to electric vehicles has many advantages. Not only to the environment but also the user. With many adopting EVs, it is very evident that going electric provides users with a low-cost transport and a more affordable alternative to fossil fuels.