E-mobility is becoming more affordable and at the same time gaining in popularity
Consumers can now purchase electric vehicles from 11,450 euros (Renault Twizy). As Edison reports, more than 100 new models of electric vehicles are to be offered for sale by 2025. Increasing competition within the automotive industry, constant innovation and falling battery manufacturing costs result in lower prices for consumers.
Convenient charging on your own doorstep, a problem?
Although electric mobility is becoming increasingly popular, consumers are often faced with an old problem. Although it is now possible for owners of e-vehicles to conveniently charge their own vehicle at most rest stops, multi-storey car parks and within cities at e-charging stations, such a connection is often missing in apartment buildings. A study by absatzwirtschaft.de shows a clear lack of e-charging stations within larger residential complexes. According to this, it is only possible to charge an e-car in four percent of the available parking spaces. This poses a problem for potential buyers of electric vehicles and as a result, consumers decide in favor of a conventionally powered vehicle. Because electromobility is only worthwhile if the energy supply is secure and easily accessible.
Alternative to the e-charging station
A timely and relatively inexpensive alternative to the e-charging station is charging via your own socket. All you need for this is a conventional socket and a compatible charging adapter, these adapters can be purchased from around 250 euros. This variant is practical and can be implemented in most rented apartments and residential complexes, and the power consumption of this variant is no higher than with conventional charging stations. However, the charging time is the main disadvantage here, while a public fast charging station takes 30-60 minutes to fully charge a vehicle, it takes 8-14 hours at a domestic socket.
Deficit in demand is the main reason for the lack of charging infrastructure
It is doubtful whether residential complexes will be retrofitted with regard to electromobility in the future, because according to absatzwirtschaft.de, 79 percent of the owners and tenants surveyed have no demand for additional power connections for electric cars. In addition to high costs and problems with the technical implementation, the mistrust of e-mobility with regard to future developments in the industry is a reason for the lack of interest in additional charging stations for 11 percent of those surveyed.
According to Aiomag.de, only around 8 percent of those surveyed have a clear need to improve the charging infrastructure within rental properties, which is why only 13 percent of the companies surveyed have concrete plans to expand charging options within their own complexes.
Legislators are already working on solutions
In order to drive e-mobility, the legislative initiative WEG-E plans to supplement paragraphs in the BGB, which will allow tenants to retrofit e-charging stations themselves. If landlords expand the charging infrastructure at their own expense, it is still unclear to what extent landlords can pass on the investment costs to tenants in the form of rent increases. According to §§555b and 559 BGB, this is still possible, but changes are already being discussed at European level, according to golem.de. Because an expansion of e-charging stations should not make it more difficult to find an apartment.
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