Electric vehicles: Innovation and the user experience

A new report from Digital Catapult and Connected Places Catapult examines what needs to be done to bridge the gap between the current state of the UK’s electric vehicle sector and its future targets.

Innovate UK is leading the development of the “Plugin Vehicle 2025 Stakeholder Success Vision” to support the electrification of transport in the UK. It aims to try and enhance the user experience of electric vehicles (EV) by 2025 by fostering collaboration and uncovering user perspectives on current gaps and shortcomings in the EV offering.

What is the ‘Electric vehicles: Innovation towards an excellent user experience’ report?

The report, commissioned by Innovate UK, and written by Digital Catapult and Connected Places Catapult is the next step for the Plugin Vehicle 2025 Stakeholder Success Vision. The report examines the current UK EV sector and compares it to its future targets, providing insights on emerging EV trends, user profiles and the challenges associated with different user journeys and scenarios, while also providing insights into the uses, opportunities and effects of data, standards, ethics and technology in the electric vehicle sector.

What are the key trends identified in the report?

The report identified five key trends having an impact on the EV user experience:

• More vehicles are becoming electric: there are currently in excess of 40 highway-capable fully-electric models on the market in the UK
• Infrastructure that supports charging: more than 19,000 public charging connectors are located in over 6,500 locations across the UK
• More ways to share: such as car sharing and Mobility as a Service (MaaS)
• Renewable electricity powering our world: including vehicle to grid (V2G) charging
• Increasing charging speeds: Tesla Superchargers charge a Tesla Model S to 80% within 40 minutes

What are the recommendations?

The report outlines six key recommendations:

• Fleet operators could have a large impact on early EV adoption. They should be provided with tools, information and incentives required to switch their fleets to EVs
• Ensure consumers can easily get information regarding EVs and have the chance for hands on experience using them
• Local and national governments need to do more towards creating a better EV charging and user experience
• Promotion of more open data, data ethics and standards relevant for EVs and charging infrastructure
• Government and other stakeholders should develop and adopt relevant EV standards
• Innovation challenges should address key battery issues (data access, end of life, technical standard adoption, etc.)

This report shows there’s plenty to be done to encourage innovation in the EV sector. Download the report below and contact Digital Catapult to find out how your business could benefit.