The revolution of electric drive needs infrastructure.
This is especially true here at the beginning, while batteries remain a the weakest component and range anxiety the greatest obstacle. My belief is that fleet conversion will be the short term stepping stone to mass adoption of NdFeB-based PM traction motor drive, in large part because fleet infrastructure is easily designed and implemented.
At this point in time, infrastructure is weak but rapidly growing. There are a number of pure play charging station companies. There is also support from recently-mentioned utilities and/or service providers, depending on the country. There are automakers rolling out propietary infrastructure, like Tesla, Porsche and now GM has a joint venture with EVgo.
Top line excerpt:
"In their release, the two companies claim electric-car use is growing rapidly across the country among ridesharing fleets, which can put more than 50,000 miles per year on an individual vehicle.
"That makes the low per-mile cost of recharging electric cars highly attractive. The Maven-EVgo announcement did not specify the prices drivers would pay for fast charging on the dedicated network, but they currently get free access to the public EVgo network."
(Low maintenance cost per mile, too.)
GM, EVgo to build Chevy Bolt EV fast-charging network, for Maven drivers only
by John Voelcker, Senior Editor
04/12/2018
https://www.greencarreports.com/new...-fast-charging-network-for-maven-drivers-only
General Motors has consistently declined to fund public charging stations that increase the utility and long-distance potential of the electric cars it sells.
The company said firmly two years ago it had no intention of spending money on a charging network, a stance that distinguished GM from BMW, Nissan, and Volkswagen, not to mention Tesla.
On Thursday, GM announced that it would partner with national charging network EVgo to set up DC fast-charging sites for drivers of its Chevrolet Bolt EV electric car.
Specifically, GM's Maven car-sharing unit will get its own dedicated EVgo network of fast-charging stations, exclusively for the use of Maven Gig drivers who operate all-electric Bolt EVs.
The two companies described their plan as the nation's first fast-charging network dedicated solely to the needs of on-demand drivers.
Maven's Bolt EV drivers have already used public EVgo fast-charging sites as part of a pilot program in seven cities: Austin, Texas; Baltimore, Maryland; Boston; Los Angeles; San Diego; San Francisco; and Washington, D.C.
The full national network will build on lessons learned from that effort, ultimately expanding to "hundreds of stations in Maven markets across the country."
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