Powertrain 2020 - The Future Drives Electric (PDF ... - Roland Berger

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The first generation of EVs and PHEVs will have on-board chargers that can
handle up to 10 kW in most cases, with the potential of upgrading to higher
power levels in the near future. This would allow end customers to recharge
vehicles from a 50% charge level to full during a single stop of one to two
hours, e.g. while customers go shopping. In this way, customers could
recharge whenever they felt like it, solving the problem of range anxiety.
The key challenge lies in setting up a commercially viable, convenient
system for end customers. The difficulty is how to change drivers' mobility
behavior: instead of going to a gas station just before the tank is empty,
drivers need to charge their cars every other time they park. In response,
some innovative market players are proposing smart features such as automatic
authentication, monthly billing (similar to cell phone contracts),
upgrades to satellite navigation systems so that they show where the next
free charging point is, and so on. These are features that are designed to
make the change of mindset easier for end customers.
Commercial viability is largely driven by the level of investment required;
in other words, the number of charging points needed to give end customers
the feeling that they can charge their vehicles wherever they park, and
the level of investment per charging point. A growing number of players
around the world are developing innovative solutions, and pilots are being
launched.