Aftermarket June 2022

JUNE 2022 AFTERMARKET 61 www.aftermarketonline.net Below: The cost of EV charging has increased, and is set to keep rising paucity of fast chargers. According to figures from Statista Italy only has 2.3 chargers per 100km of the TEN-T network, while Spain can only boast 2.4 over the same distance. They are followed by Luxembourg with 2.5 and Portugal with just 2.9 chargers per 100km. Conversely, UK drivers have access to 19.7 CCS chargers per 100kms, followed by Holland with 17.2 and Germany with 14.4. Looking at the cost of EV charging, it costs around € 2.40 to travel 100km in Sweden and Holland. Meanwhile, EV enthusiasts in Germany must pay € 4.65 to travel 100km, the highest in Europe, with Denmark came second at € 4.35. Belgium is third at € 3.90 and the UK is fourth at € 3.60. Commenting on the study, a spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “There are some fascinating results which demonstrate which countries have more chargers on main routes and lower fuel and electric costs compared to others. It is a changing picture as economics and infrastructure evolves with time, but demonstrates the importance of planning your journey in advance, whether for business or pleasure.” For the full results visit: www.stressfreecarrental.com/en/electric-car-range-anxiety Rising costs and vehicle electrification make staff training a priority MAHLE is warning garages that, as the vehicle parc electrifies, and ever-stricter legal frameworks evolve, they need to make ongoing staff training a major priority. Ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and progressive technological advancement across the vehicle also make this essential. Commenting on the impact of these trends, Olaf Henning, Corporate Executive Vice President & General Manager MAHLE Aftermarket, said: “The automotive industry is undergoing a massive transformation with e- mobility solutions. “The trend towards e-mobility has the potential to push drivers away from independent repairers. Small automotive repair businesses will have to invest thousands of pounds in order to effectively repair and maintain electric vehicles, while also being able to offer affordable services to motorists.” He added: “MAHLE Aftermarket is positioning itself accordingly to support small businesses with the adoption of new products and services, designed to ensure that they remain the dominant choice for vehicle servicing and repair.” EV charging prices rise, but are still cheaper than petrol/diesel in real terms EV drivers are experiening a higher increase in the cost of powering their vehicles, compared with those who use internal combustion engine vehicles, although in actual terms they are still paying less. EV drivers are now paying around £200 more, equivalent to a 40% increase for electricity to fuel their vehicles, based on a 10,000 mile average mileage than in 2020. At the same time, petrol vehicle drivers are having to find an additional £435 per year, which equates to a 27% increase. Drivers of diesel vehicles are needing to pay a further £484, which represents a 35% rise. Cecilia Routledge, Global Director, Energy & Facilities for CTEK said: “Rising global fuel prices are having a significant impact on the cost of motoring for EV owners and drivers of fossil fueled vehicles alike. “Electricity prices have actually risen faster than petrol and diesel over the past two years, but even with the recent increase in the energy price cap and the 5p+VAT cut in fuel duty announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on 23 March, the price gap between the cost of fuel for an EV mile and a petrol mile has actually increased by around 22% over the past two years, and the fuel price gap between an EV mile and a diesel mile has widened by around 32%. Looking ahead, Cecilia said: “Consumers are bracing themselves for further hikes in electricity prices when the energy price cap is reviewed again in October, but for home charging, electricity prices would need to rise to around 74p to 81p per kWh before it starts to balance out with the cost of petrol or diesel.” She added: ”As booming EV sales are expected to leave a £3 5billion black hole in the Treasury’s coffers every year, it is widely expected that the government may introduce some kind of EV tax in the not too distant future. A recent report from the Transport Select Committee advocated a road pricing approach, which would charge drivers per trip based on distance travelled, journey duration and vehicle type. However, there are no firm proposals just yet.” www.aftermarketonline.net Rising global fuel prices are having a significant impact on the cost of motoring for EV owners and drivers of fossil- fueled vehicles alike” ”