Despite the EV Chasm, Reports of Charging Violations Continue to Rise
Sufficient Slow Chargers... Need for More Fast Chargers
A in his 40s living in Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, feels his frustration boil over whenever he sees the apartment parking lot. This is because electric vehicles (EVs) that have already finished charging often continue to occupy the chargers, preventing him from charging his own car. Taking photos of license plates of vehicles parked beyond the allowed charging time and reporting them has become part of A's daily routine.
Despite the EV chasm (temporary demand stagnation) phenomenon, conflicts among neighbors over EV chargers are intensifying. Although the EV charger supply rate itself is higher compared to developed countries, the fact that most chargers are slow chargers and outdated regulations are causing charging conflicts is being pointed out.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety on the 5th, the number of reports regarding 'eco-friendly vehicle charging zones' increased by about 452%, from 61,106 cases in 2022 when statistics began, to 337,374 cases last year. This figure does not even include reports from December. In particular, among all reasons for reports, the increase rate of 'EV charging obstruction reports' such as illegal parking and abandonment after charging was high. In November last year, a total of 1,098 reports were received for these reasons, which is a 1,032% increase compared to the same month the previous year (97 cases).
The number of reports surged as cases of not vacating chargers beyond the legal standard time became frequent. In fact, methods for reporting to the Safety Report Center were being shared on online communities and EV enthusiast cafes. Many complaints were posted about general vehicles parking in EV charging spots and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which have charging times about one-third that of EVs, occupying chargers for long periods.
According to the Act on the Development and Promotion of Environmentally Friendly Automobiles (EV Charging Obstruction Prohibition Act), fast chargers must not be used for more than 1 hour, and slow chargers for more than 14 hours. On the 9th of last month, the amendment to the 'Regulations on Requirements for Environmentally Friendly Vehicles' was also administratively announced. According to the amendment, the allowable usage time for PHEV vehicles in slow charging zones will be reduced to 7 hours.
Occupancy status of an electric vehicle charger at an apartment located in Mapo-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 5th. Screenshot of a mobile phone screen.
The number of EV chargers installed domestically has surpassed 400,000 units, and the 'car-to-charger ratio,' meaning the number of EVs per charger, was about 1.7 cars per charger as of December last year. Based on statistics from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the global average car-to-charger ratio in 2023 is about 10 cars per charger, and considering that both the US and Europe exceed 10 cars per charger, Korea's EV charging infrastructure is considered top-tier. However, due to a shortage of fast chargers, EV owners are experiencing negative charging experiences.
Professor Kim Pil-su of Daelim University's Department of Future Automotive Engineering said, "Among the 400,000 EV chargers, only about 50,000 to 60,000 are fast chargers." He added, "Although the number of fast chargers has increased significantly since last year, it is still absolutely insufficient, so we need to hurry up." He also said, "With advancements in EV charging technology, charging can be completed in 6 to 8 hours, so the 14-hour regulation makes no sense."
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