Electronics & Connectivity - November 28, 2012 - 3

electronics connectivity
The creators of SAE International’s portfolio of magazines, newsletters, and websites have developed this new SAE Electronics + Connectivity digital technology magazine to help the industry’s electronic and electrical systems engineers stay up to date on the latest innovations. This “go-to” source for engineering professionals, to be published four times in 2012, covers the engineering of electronics and avionics within the vehicle as well as the systems that connect vehicles to the energy and telecommunications infrastructure. The major content focus is on the engineering of vehicle systems that enable greater performance, safety, and comfort/convenience especially in software and electronic control, in-vehicle networking, and vehicle-to-vehicle and -infrastructure communications. Each issue includes exclusive feature articles along with the best SAE technology articles on electronics and connectivity. 2012 Publishing Schedule March 1st May 30th September 5th November 28th

Dealing with the unknown
As NextEnergy Director of Business Development Gary Gauthier says in an article on the AEI website, there are “way too many unknowns” to forecast with certainty what the electric vehicle (EV) recharging infrastructure will look like in the future. How many EVs are sold is perhaps the largest variable, but another large and related one is what the EV park will look like (for this editorial, EVs means all types of electrified vehicles that need to be plugged in). One dominated by plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEVs) will look different than one dominated by battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). Charging infrastructure is addressed in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 Electric Vehicle Ownership Experience Study released Nov. 8. The bottom line is that in seeking buyers, automakers must focus on the value proposition of EVs, not just on their environmental benefits. That seems obvious, but current EV owners cite environmental friendliness as most important. Priorities are changing, though. Brought to light in the Power study is the fact that consumers considering an EV are most interested in lowering their fuel costs. Consumers realize that increased vehicle range via better battery technology is a way for automakers to help meet this particular demand. Somehow, though, “utilities are not currently being thought of by consumers as part of the EV equation.” What they do figure into their calculation is whether there are enough public charging stations. The Power study indicates that 43% of EV owners charge their vehicles away from home, in addition to at home. When charging away from home, “eightyfive percent of the time EV owners don’t have to pay for the service.” An unknown related to away-fromhome charging, NextEnergy’s Gauthier says, is how EV owners will respond if charging station owners impose fees for their use. It’s a free ride for the most part right now. Even if that circumstance changes, home charging is sufficient for the vast majority of EV owners, he says. A big unknown in my mind is whether any automaker can put together a viable EV business plan given the myriad unknowns. And we haven’t even addressed the price of oil here. Pump prices—acutely volatile historically—will have major implications on EV sales and the infrastructure. A great unknown in this area is how efficiently vast unconventional oil reserves can be tapped. I see as critical how automakers market their EVs. Tesla is putting up proprietary fast-charging stations in the Western U.S. to enable long-distance BEV driving. Is that a wise approach? We shall see. Perhaps it would be wiser for automakers to design and market their BEVs as strictly commuter vehicles. Success might depend more on product planning than on engineering. Great credit will go to those automakers able to reduce a bewildering number of unknowns into EV profits.
Patrick Ponticel Associate Editor

editorial

February 23, 2011

SAE Electronics + Connectivity™, November 28, 2012, Volume 1, Number 4, (ISSN 2164-6899) is published 4 times a year by SAE International®. SAE is not responsible for the accuracy of information in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication. Readers should independently evaluate the accuracy of any statement in the editorial, articles, and advertising sections of this publication that are important to him/her and rely on his/her independent evaluation. For permission to use content in other media, contact copyright@sae.org. To purchase reprints, contact advertising@sae.org. Copyright © 2012 by SAE International®. The SAE Electronics + Connectivity™ title is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark

SAE electronics+connectivity

November 28, 2012

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Electronics & Connectivity - November 28, 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Electronics & Connectivity - November 28, 2012