The Shift to "Fully Electric Cities" - John Walsh, EO Charging's President & Chief Commercial Officer

2024 was a challenging year for the whole electric vehicle (EV) sector. Yet EO Charging, a UK-based EV charging provider,  had something to celebrate - a decade in the fleet electrification business.

Auto Futures has been talking to John Walsh, EO Charging's President & Chief Commercial Officer, about the challenges and opportunities ahead for the sector in the UK, and elsewhere.

"The UK is currently falling short of its Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) target. This is partly due to insufficient clarity around complex regulations, technological ambiguities and the withdrawal of incentives by the government," he says.

In the commercial space in particular, electrifying entire fleets remains costly.

"A lack of available and reliable charging infrastructure, in our view, has the biggest challenge for fleet managers, with many needing to source funding for their own private infrastructure, which limits the potential for electrification to big businesses with bigger budgets."

"With a shift in (UK) government, more clarity is needed on a strategy that tackles the challenges to EV adoption and creates long-term, reliable funding - particularly for commercial and public sector fleets, which stand to have the greatest impact," he adds,

Looking ahead, Walsh says governments are moving to make electrification more accessible for fleet managers, particularly in regards to financing the shift to electric. 

"We also saw the UK government announce a £88 million investment across a number of projects to pioneer electric vehicles. Meanwhile in the US, the Department of Energy (DOE) committed to making a series of investments starting with $200 million across eight projects that will aid electric vehicle battery recycling funding," he explains.

"Controversially perhaps, a significant positive from driving competitiveness has been China’s rapid advancements in battery chemistry, efficient supply chain management and methods of reducing the cost-of-ownership. We see this as a much needed push on traditional OEMs to recognise that the landscape has already changed - it is not a problem for tomorrow. They must act now to meet the evolving standards and rapid pace set by Chinese EV manufacturers."

Sustainable Urban Planning

One development Walsh is expecting to see this year is the rise of fully electric cities.

"In 2025, we expect to see local governments and infrastructure developers begin to prioritise sustainable, scalable solutions for urban transit, particularly as this year marks the deadline for comprehensive urban electrification plans."

"Crucially, these plans will go beyond passenger EVs to include buses, delivery vehicles and other urban service fleets that contribute to city life. Cities leading the movement will shift to become focused on creating high-capacity charging hubs, renewable energy integration and smart grid systems which are all essential to a fully electric urban environment."

"Overall, the success of electric cities will likely become a model for sustainable urban planning worldwide, showcasing the viability of eco-friendly transit systems that serve both public and commercial needs."

The Global Transition To Electric Mobility

Finally, we asked Walsh what can rest of the world can learn from the US.

"In 2025, we predict that the United States will surpass the European Union in electric vehicle (EV) adoption growth which is a clear signal that there is much the rest of the world could learn. While driven by increasing consumer awareness and demand for environmentally friendly transportation options, we’ve seen this met with significant investments in charging infrastructure," he says.

"Governments should look at how the US has implemented supportive policies, such as tax incentives and rebates, in order to make EVs more accessible to the average consumer. And as US automakers ramp up production of electric vehicles and the market matures, we expect to see a surge in both passenger and commercial EV adoption, making the US a leader in the global transition to electric mobility," Walsh concludes.