Electric Vehicles, Long Charging Time Most Inconvenient... Fast Charging Time Should Be 30 Minutes

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] A lack of charging infrastructure and relatively long charging times have been identified as obstacles to the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs).

On the 16th, Choi Hyun-ki, Senior Deputy Director of Consumer Insight, revealed these findings during a survey targeting new EV buyers at the Automotive Forum hosted by the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA) held at the Millennium Hilton Seoul in Jung-gu, Seoul.

According to the survey of 729 new EV buyers, respondents cited "long charging time" as the most inconvenient aspect of using an EV. This contrasts with their primary concern before purchase, which was "short driving range."

Other inconveniences included ▲battery durability ▲short driving range ▲availability of home charging ▲insufficient number of charging stations, in that order. After actual use, users felt the most inconvenience related to battery charging.

Additionally, users reported that the average time required for fast charging (80%) was 47 minutes, while the majority expressed a preference for fast charging times "within 30 minutes" in the future. Senior Deputy Director Choi stated, "Regarding charging time, battery durability, and home charging availability, users experienced greater inconvenience during actual use," adding, "Charging time is the most inconvenient factor when using EVs, and active measures to reduce charging time are necessary."

Other experts attending the forum also emphasized the need to expand charging infrastructure. Peter Doleski, Director of Mobility and Sustainable Transport at the European Automobile Manufacturers Association, said, "The European automotive industry is pursuing structural changes across the entire value chain based on the Green Deal plan, but practical difficulties such as the burden of purchasing EVs and lack of charging infrastructure remain, requiring responsive measures."

Svein Grandum, Commercial Counselor at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Korea, advised that comprehensive support measures closely linked to EV owners’ daily lives are needed, including tax reductions on EV purchases, reductions in parking and transportation costs, and construction of charging stations proportional to the number of EVs in actual operation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.