We all know that electric vehicles (EVs) are a vital component in improving air pollution and reducing carbon emissions – and indeed more and more of us are choosing to buy electric.
According to the latest figures from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, which were published in January 2024, in 2022, the number of fully electric passenger vehicles in the EU increased by 58% compared to 2021 – from 1.9 million to 3.1 million, a figure which will, of course, have increased during 2023.
However as the consultancy company McKinsey points out “Prospective EV buyers want assurances that they’ll be able to charge their vehicles conveniently, but each additional EV driver creates more competition for access to public charging points”.
The European Alternative Fuel Observatory recorded around 630,000 public charging points in the EU, with thousands more planned.
Mostly, the debate about the rollout of charging points has focused on whether there is enough electricity to serve them. However, this recent article in TechTimes demonstrates another issue identified by The Royal Automobile Club (RAC) in the UK; many EV charging points are located in areas where at least one mobile network carrier does not have a usable 4G service.
This is a problem – not only for EV owners – but for EV charging manufacturers, operators and owners. If there are connectivity problems in the area where the charging point is, then payments by card and through an app, cannot be processed so no charging is possible, potentially leaving EVs, and their occupants, stranded – and, of course, adding to people’s perception that the switch to EVs can be problematic.
In addition, reliable connectivity is required for monitoring the EV charging infrastructure in order to report the status of the equipment and charging sessions. For EV charging operators, this provides data on frequency of use, equipment failures, OTA updates, and other diagnostics. For EV charging customers, the data could provide current charging point status to inform which are available for use, currently in use, or out of order.
Consequently, The RAC has called for more connectivity options to be available for charging points which is something Telecom26 would echo. This connectivity problem is common in most countries that, today, are seeking to build out EV charging infrastructure to support the transition to EVs. Nationwide coverage is required which means connectivity to a reliable mobile network must also be assured. That’s not always possible if the EV charging station providers only work with a single mobile operator, as their coverage footprint may not match the required rollout for reliable charging stations.
We would also add that urban areas have been prioritised for installation of charging points where connectivity is usually strong. However, we will need to see EV charging points in less populated and rural areas, so that potential EV buyers who are contemplating the move away from the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE), know that reliable EV charging is not restricted to cities and their homes.
How Telecom26’s global SIMS can help speed up the adoption of EVs
Telecom26’s SIMs can access more than 650 mobile operators in 200+ countries and territories. They automatically switch between available networks to ensure the best, and most cost-effective, coverage.
If EV chargers are shipped with a Telecom26 global SIM - instead of the SIM of a local mobile operator - then this would re move a major headache for the charging company: regardless of where the charger is installed around the world, it would be able to connect to multiple local networks through Telecom26’s global connectivity service.
For EV charging point manufacturers looking to transition from physical SIMs to eSIMs on existing hardware we offer our Local Profile Assistant on device (LPAd) solution, which enables (OpenWRT based) routers to load and manage multiple eSIM profiles on our eUICC card, on demand.
Telecom26 and global connectivity
Telecom26 offers a full range of telecom services and connectivity options including 5G (where available), LTE-M, Wi-Fi, private networks, 2G, 3G and 4G, as well offshore connectivity capabilities.
Our customers include businesses of all sizes across the world, OEMs and NGOs who want a single delivery partner, cross-border solutions and network coverage that is secure, resilient and can be tailored to meet specific and evolving needs.
If you’d like to organise a video call to discuss how we can help improve the global connectivity of your team when they are out and about including maritime connectivity please get in touch.
