The massification of the electric car in China is a reality. Between January and September, about 1.5 million electric vehicles have been sold. The electrification boom is unstoppable in the Chinese territory, which in turn, is generating problems associated with the rapid adoption of electrical technology. And it is the difficulty of finding available charging points.
The success of electric car in China it is indisputable. In this Asian market, a huge number of fully electric vehicle registrations are harvested annually. Only so far in 2021, that is, in the period between January and September, sales of electric cars touched 1.5 million units. Overcrowding is already a reality.
This situation allows put China as a reference when analyzing how the evolution of the electric vehicle will be in other parts of the planet and, above all, seek the ideal formula to replicate this success in other markets and / or regions. However, and beyond this question that is not trivial, the popularization of this sustainable mobility technology is bringing to light a whole series of associated problems.
The difficulty of finding available charging points
What is one of the main problems that is emerging in China due to the rise of the electric car? Neither more nor less than the difficulty of finding a charging point that is available. This booming market for the electric vehicle has created a very clear and significant problem for drivers. Finding a public charging point that is available has become a daunting task.
Now, are we facing a specific problem or is it something that Chinese electric vehicle drivers face on a daily basis? The truth is that the problem has arisen during the holidays associated with the National Day that take place between October 1 and 7. During this holiday period there have been numerous trips by road. The demand for the use of charging points has skyrocketed and operators have been unable to respond.
This situation shows that the The network of public charging points in China is not in a position to meet the demand peaks that are produced annually. The improvement of the infrastructure must be carried out taking into account these moments that occur during very limited periods of time each year.
Waiting of several hours to be able to use a charging point
According to information provided by local media, in certain cities drivers have been forced to queue and wait for several hours to be able to use a charging point. On October 1, a driver recharged his electric car twice while driving from Shenzhen, southern China, to his hometown in central Hunan province. At each of the stops to recharge the vehicle, he had to wait 4 hours. It took him 16 hours to complete the journey that he usually made in 8 hours.
There is also another piece of information that shows that the charging infrastructure must be in a position to meet peaks in demand. In eastern China’s Shandong Province, charging station power consumption increased 46% compared to the same period last year.
Last June 2021, the number of electric vehicles in circulation in China had reached 4.93 million. However, the number of charging stations across the country has only reached 923,000 according to official figures.