Written evidence from Nodum Industries Ltd. (ELV0036)
About Nodum
Nodum is a SME based in London that has developed technologies that allow for an electric vehicle to be charged on-street using the home energy supply. The system has been designed to be sympathetic to the British built environment and avoid negative impacts on active travel solutions.
Nodum has been supported by Innovate UK, Undaunted (previously the Centre for Climate Change Innovation) and some small investments. Our solution is being trialled in a number of controlled environments across the country with a view to being on the market in 2024.
This submission was written by Ben Macdonald (CEO and co-founder of Nodum) on behalf of Nodum Industries Ltd.
Abstract.
Strong leadership to combat misinformation is needed at this stage of this transition. The experience of people who have purchased EVs and lived with them tends to be very different from the perception of people who haven’t. There is a great deal of conjecture and misinformation around and this represents one of the most significant risks to the transition. We have already seen the politicisation of the expansion of the ULEZ in London and we will see a similar thing occur with this transition. The equity issue that exists as a result of different charging regimes needs to be addressed. Ensuring that people pay the same VAT for the electricity that they use to power their vehicles should be a priority. Options need to be explored that give more people the ability to connect their EV to their home energy tariff. Where safe and possible a right to charge should exist and local authorities should act as enablers for this.
1. What are the main obstacles to the achievement of the Government’s 2030 and 2035 phase-out dates? Are the phase-out dates realistic and achievable? If not, what steps should the Government take to make the phase-out dates achievable?
1. The most significant obstacle to the Government’s 2030 and 2035 phase out date is increasingly becoming one that has little to do with supply chains and DNO connections. It is the misinformation surrounding the transition. There has undoubtedly been a concerted campaign by a number of different organisations to politicise and derail the transition. This misinformation needs to be called out and this inquiry has the potential to do just that.
2. The second significant obstacle is the increasingly apparent equity issue. This is best illustrated with a thought experiment. Imagine turning up to a petrol station and the amount you pay for fuel is dependent on your living arrangements (apartments / terraced homes / with or without driveways / owning / rental etc.). In this scenario some of the poorest people will pay the most for their e-mobility.
5. What is your view on the accuracy of the information in the public domain relating to EVs and their usage?
3. The accuracy of information in the public realm is very much dependent on the news outlet. The article by Rowan Atkinson in the Guardian illustrates this well. Whilst written as an opinion piece it soon became clear to the paper that the assertions in the article were untenable and needed correction and clarification. All too often similar opinion pieces and ‘user experiences’ are presented in various papers and forums that are not representative of the reality that most EV by us drivers experience.
4. Repeated unfounded statements made in newspapers are repeated as facts over breakfast tables and in pub corners across the country.
7. What are the likely costs that will be faced by consumers as a result of the Government’s phase-out dates for non-zero emissions vehicles? Are there policies or initiatives that the Government could use to specifically target barriers arising from unpredictable costs to the consumer, for example significant fluctuations in the cost of electricity, changes to road taxes, or the introduction of low emission zones?
5. Much of the focus is on costs and uncertainty around the phase-out dates for non-zero emissions vehicles. However many people and organisations are already realising significant cost reductions as a result of the transition. We are moving towards a more resilient and distributed energy system that is increasingly powered by locally sourced renewables and energy storage solutions. This can result in the opposite - greater resilience and cheaper electricity. Question 7 should be reframed to explore both costs and benefits.
6. The most significant policy decision that can be made is to explicitly decouple energy supply from the delivery and maintenance of road infrastructure and move towards road pricing. People and organisations should be charged based on what type of vehicle they drive, the distance they cover and the congestion that they contribute to.
7. Equalising the VAT rates applied to home charging and public charging needs to be a priority and will go some way towards reducing the inequity.
18. What are the main challenges that UK consumers face in their use of EVs?
8. The challenges facing consumers in the UK vary dependent on their living arrangements. Over 80% of current EV drivers have the ability to charge from home. Ensuring that the people who live in households that lack off street parking access preferential tariffs is critical to achieving the 2030 / 2035 phase out dates.
19. What are the main benefits that UK consumers could realise from using an EV?
9. The most significant benefit is a result of the improved air quality that will be realised as a result of a move towards electric vehicles. Several studies have shown that even a relatively small uptake in the number of EVs can have a disproportionate impact on air quality - even more so when these are higher mileage vehicles such as delivery vans or taxis.
10. The second significant benefit are benefits associated with reduced costs. However once again this is very much dependent on the charging regime employed.
24. In terms of charging infrastructure, are there unique barriers facing consumers in areas of low affluence and/or multi-occupancy buildings, such as shared housing or high-rise flats? Do you consider public EV charging points to be accessible and equitable compared to home-charging points? What can be done to improve accessibility and equitability?
11. The difficult issues facing consumers in areas of low affluence and/or multiple occupancy buildings it one that needs addressing quickly. The public network is both more expensive and can be time consuming. Particular consideration needs to be given to workers that have the responsibility to charge their vehicles (eg. taxi drivers, delivery drivers etc.) as this has the potential to increase the hours that they have to work.
12. In buildings with multiple dwellings charging hardware can be shared and the bill ascribed to the household of the person charging their EV. This can allow residents of such buildings to gain the benefits of off-peak tariffs and approximate the charging experience of a person with off street parking.
13. Terraced homes present similar challenges. There are a number of solutions that are appearing on the market that enable a person to connect their EV whilst parked on-street. This enables people to access cheaper overnight tariffs.
14. Nodum has developed a solution that provides a temporary gantry to support an overhead cable. This allows for a person to charge cheaply overnight without impacting on the streetscape or active travel solutions. The technology does not require groundworks or any physical input from local authorities. There is provision within primary legislation for such solutions to exist with the consent of the highway authority responsible for the highway.
25. Is there a financial benefit to the consumer of choosing an EV over an ICE vehicle? Are there further benefits, aside from financial, that a consumer may gain from EV use?
15. The total cost of ownership benefits to a driver are largely dependent on the charging regime that they have access to. The linked article by Chris Cox in the Economist provides an indication as to the cost differential. This was written before the invasion of Ukraine and uses public charging of 35p / kWh. The amount an average driver can save today will be significantly more given the increased cost of public charging.
https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/project/the-rev-index/ev-charging/
Ben Macdonald
CEO Nodum