The future is electricity. At least, that’s what governments, officials and automakers around the world have carved into the brains of nearly 10 billion people on this planet for at least the second half of this decade. Riding right next to that enchanting spell for electric vehicle movement is what some in our industry call an “optimistic” commitment — goals like having a brand whole line of cars Full electrification is somewhere between 2030 and 2040. Cities like Paris And London moved to completely ban internal combustion engines from their respective city limits and in the United States we are seeing cities and states ban the sale of ICE vehicles around 2035. As of this week, we’re a third of the way to 2023. Can we really have every manufacturer make electric-only vehicles by 2030 – less than seven years ago? Or 2035 – just 12 years from now? Those goals are a bit good in terms of optimism, according to experts.
In case you lost it:
A study conducted by ABB Robotics and Automotive Manufacturing Solutions found that more than half of respondents (59 percent) said it would be difficult to meet target deadlines proposed by regulators. Not for lack of trying, as we saw an explosion of electric vehicle launches last year. But the core of this move is to create electric vehicles the answers, and so quickly, manufacturers are facing a lot of obstacles. Designing an electric vehicle and its new systems is one thing. But getting everything ready to actually produce them for the public is another matter.
One of the main issues that respondents emphasized in the survey, is the global supply chain has not recovered yet from the worldwide lockdown during the first phase of COVID-19. Factory and plant closures, combined with total shutdowns, have created a backlog of parts and raw materials for many vehicles. Although it has been completely improved since 2020, we still — in 2023 — notice delays in receiving parts for repair or production.
Then there is the actual infrastructure to build and operate these vehicles. Factories that are expected to produce EVs need to be retrofitted or completely reworked, which, as the article states, costs a lot of money. Not to mention the addition of battery factories, Automakers are partnering with companies to make it possible. But that creates another similar problem of the need to build facilities where batteries can be produced. These plants will also need trained people to install and operate the equipment.
Those batteries also need precious metals, as do chips for all the computing devices, etc. Mining those metals isn’t cheap, and The natural quantity of those metals is decreasing.
Finally, there’s the fact that our roads can’t handle the extra weight, no enough chargers to make electrification possible for everyoneand most grids around the world can’t handle that kind of load (I mean, some parts of the Michigan grid can barely handle all the air conditioning equipment that runs in the summer), and there’s a lot more to do than just “make an electric car.”
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I still believe that we jumped into the tram and that they are far away the reply. With that in mind, can automakers and governments achieve these goals in the next few years? It can be very close. But when you step back and really look at the whole electrification picture (and I’m just giving the main highlights), there are many barriers that society and industry must overcome to make that greener future a reality. And of course, rational individuals will approach those deadlines with little hesitation. It’s like intending to go deep sea diving without the right outfit and gear. Sure, you could go deep under the sea, but without that suit, you’d suffocate from lack of oxygen and be squashed by the pressure.
