Electric vehicle revolution to see on-board chargers to become standard on BEVs by 2027: Study

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A latest study on global electric vehicle charging technologies says 11kW on-board chargers are likely to become a standard on BEVs by 2027.

The ‘2021 Study on the Transformation of Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Technologies and Charging Infrastructure’ report, which has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering, gives a detailed analysis of the future adoption of charging technologies by OEMs across regions for both AC and DC charging.

It said the automotive industry is evolving rapidly, both in terms of technology and in tackling environmental issues. Electric vehicles (EVs) have been introduced as a clean energy initiative and are just now becoming an integral part of OEMs’ business strategies.

Auto companies like Hyundai-Kia, Volkswagen and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi (RNM) are creating separate EV business units to prepare for the expected EV boom.

But the surge in EV demand will create a need for charging infrastructure as well as new safety regulations and standards.

The electric vehicle market is picking up pace and OEMs are focusing on technological advancements which mainly deal with vehicle range and charging, which are the major challenges for the industry.

According to the study, EV on-board chargers (OBCs) play an important role in deciding the charging time based on the specifications offered by OEMs.

Technological advancements

First-generation EVs were launched had the slowest form of charging with a 3.7 kW of charging power. This would require a minimum of 8 hours for charging for a 25kWh battery pack. With technological advancements, the power rating was upgraded to 6.6-22kW to enable fast AC charging.

“98.3% of OEMs will shift from 3-5kW OBCs to 6-11kW ones. This is mainly due to the transformation in the EV charging infrastructure as most of it will be compatible with up to 43kW OBCs by 2027. 11kW OBCs are likely to become a standard in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) while 6-8kW OBCs will be highly adopted in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs),” the study said.

The report also said that DC charging in BEVs will become a standard and a majority of OEMs will enable BEVs with a 50-250kW charging capability.

At present, there are only 2-3 PHEVs with a DC charging option. In the future, there will be at least 8 OEMs that will provide DC charging on PHEVs. The premium OEMs will focus on 350kW+ DC charging on select models; however, they will adopt 100-250kW as standard equipment. Mass-market BEVs will come with AC and DC options as standard since the average size of the battery pack will increase from 30-40kWh to 60-90kWh.

On the back of low technical barriers, low cost and strong adaptability, AC charging points once became the first choice of operators, particularly in office, residential and commercial places. In recent years, however, as the charging technology has matured, efficient DC charging points have gradually become popular. As the number and coverage of AC and DC charging points increase, integrated AC and DC (AC-DC) charging points will soon be eliminated.

22kW OBC will be provided as an option on certain vehicles. The concept of dual OBC, however, will emerge where two OBCs (11kW each) will be fitted on the vehicle.

Growth Opportunities

• Currently the industry moving towards 6.6kW and 11kW OBCs as a majority of the OEMs are providing 6.6kW above OBCs
• DC charging will become as a default option in 100% of BEVs and more than 80% of PHEVs
• In passenger electric vehicles, 3.3kW OBCs may not exist by 2027
• 50kW DC charging will be a standard for entry-level electric vehicles while a charging power between 5kW and 150 kW will exist in mass-market EVs
• Premium OEMs will adopt ultrafast charging, enabling vehicles to charge at a high power ranging from 175kW to 350kW
• China, followed by Europe and the United States will see rapid development in EV charging infrastructure by 2025

(With inputs from Automotive Lead Research Team)

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