Electrifying the future automotive industry: Will it be a shock to the system?

There’s been a lot of talk recently about the electrification of the automotive industry as big, big names establish themselves in this area; Aston Martin announced Wales as its “home of electrification”, Porsche has said they will stop making diesel models to focus on electromobility and even Dyson, a name really only associated with one thing, has swept into the arena with its own electric car
design (hopefully bearing no resemblance to its cleaning device…) 

But I wonder, are we ready for this shift? 

According to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), demand for hybrid and plug-in cars surges to 88.7 percent with a record one in 12 buyers going electric. So, arguably, yes the general public is ready. What concerns me, is that our
infrastructure isn’t. Governments around the world are announcing mandates that will see the demise of the internal combustion engine – the UK planning to ban all diesel vehicles by 2040. While this may seem like an eco-friendly idea, just think about the changes that need to be made across the UK to support this. Instead of your 10 minute pit stop at a local garage, your electric
car is going to need at least 30-60 minutes to recharge; what are you going to do? Just sit in your car? Imagine the queue! How will we begin the process of shifting from fuel to electricity? Do we need to begin the construction work now? And what about fitting a charging station at your house? Easy if you have your own driveway or parking space
sure, but what if you park in the road or have more than one car? 

The electrification race affects more than just the automotive industry and I wonder if we’re as prepared as we think we are…

Do let us know what you think of the issue and if there are any specific topics you think we should be covering. Email me at paige.west@imlgroup.co.uk. 

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