Charge ahead!

Electric vehicles (EVs) are on the move. In Sweden, the market for EVs is increasing rapidly. One of the key barriers for further and smoother development and deployment is the charging infrastructure. The infrastructure for fast chargers is developed by large utilities and new upcoming businesses and planned to be located throughout larger travel routes and hubs as well as strategic places within cities.

But what about charging when the car is not in use? The most common, cost-efficient and smart way of charging for both the user and the energy system. The potential EV buyer wants to charge at home or other places where the car is parked for several hours. This is quite easy to solve if you own your own house, but not that easy if you are tenant or renter.

The Energy Agency of West Sweden early identified this barrier and started to elaborate on actions and initiatives. The project “Charge ahead!” was launched in 2017 with a focus on the housing sector, especially tenant owners’ associations. Since then the project has been prolonged and broadened towards real estate owners and work places with own parking facilities. Now an additional area is launched : municipal charging plans and strategies.

The project consists of the following main areas:

• Information activities about EVs and charging such as seminars and exhibitions;

• Step by step guidelines to be “Ready to Charge”;

• Procurement guides and tools for EV charging points;
• Coaching and advisory in regards to EV charging investments and installations;
• Workshops on EV infrastructure strategies and planning for municipalities, utilities and public housing companies;
• Monitoring of market development and information dissemination.

These activities demand continuous coverage and knowledge about the progress of technologies and the EV market, business solutions available as well as coordination with local initiatives for public EV charging infrastructure and solutions.

During the three years of operation, the Regional Energy Agency has helped over 200 real estate owners to plan and implement EV charging for tenants and renters and several municipal housing companies and utilities in their strategic planning. This work continues and we also add workplaces as new target group to help facilitate a faster and smarter transitions towards electrification of the regional car fleet. In total, the region has 800,000 cars and almost as many households. Over 400,000 households live in multi-family houses. A fully electric vehicle fleet needs quite a lot of EV charging points. The Regional Energy Agency of West Sweden continues to address this situation.

The project has been financed by the Region Västra Götaland, market actors and the Swedish Association of property owners.

Website: energikontorvast.se