Major car manufacturing giants Toyota and Volvo are the latest in a long list of car manufacturers to put the brakes on electric car production targets. Electric vehicles (EVs) present a number of environmental and performance benefits, but recent concerns about consumer demand have left car manufacturers uneasy. Here, Mike Torbitt, managing director of resistor manufacturer Cressall, shares why he remains hopeful for the future of the EV industry.

Over the past five years, the EV market has been flourishing. In 2023, 16 per cent of new car registrations were for battery electric cars, compared to just one per cent in 2018. In support of worldwide environmental goals, many car manufacturers adopted targets to greatly increase their EV production, or, in the case of Volvo, to solely manufacture EVs in the near future. However, this year has seen manufacturers go back on their targets due to the increasingly unstable EV market.

Growing consumer concerns

In a survey by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), cost emerged as the major reason that 37.8 per cent of drivers would not consider buying a battery electric vehicle (BEV). The current state of international trade for EVs is only fuelling cost concerns. This year, America, Canada and the EU all announced tariffs on imported EVs from China. If the UK were to follow suit, this could boost the consumer price of EVs in the British market.

In addition, the changing political landscape in the UK has meant government support for the EV market has fluctuated. As Prime Minister, Boris Johnson introduced a 2030 phase-out date for the sale of new fully petrol and diesel cars and vans, which was then extended by Rishi Sunak to 2035. However, in its latest Manifesto, the Labour party promised to reinstate the original phase-out date of 2030 for cars and invest in increasing charging infrastructure. While this commitment to an electric future should instil confidence in both car manufacturers and customers, such inconsistent backing has certainly rocked perceptions.

EV performance also concerns drivers. 57 per cent of potential buyers expressed anxiety about the range afforded by a single charge, found a recent Simpson Carpenter study. Range anxiety has been exacerbated by a perceived lack of charging infrastructure. However, there are currently over 68,000 charging points across the UK, according to ZapMap. Additionally, with government support for a rapid rollout of more charging points, car manufacturers can expect consumers’ fears about inaccessible charging to ease.

Making the most with regenerative braking

To address consumer concerns regarding range and battery capacity, regenerative braking offers a highly efficient solution. This technology harnesses the kinetic energy generated during vehicle deceleration to recharge the battery, effectively extending the vehicle’s range. However, when the battery reaches full capacity, the regenerative system must divert this excess energy to prevent overcharging and potential system overload.

In such scenarios, the integration of a dynamic braking resistor (DBR) is critical. The DBR safely dissipates the surplus electrical energy by converting it into thermal energy. This heat can be repurposed for auxiliary uses, such as warming the vehicle’s cabin, optimising efficiency and ensuring no waste of recovered energy.

Liquid cooling further enhances efficiency by enabling compact systems. Water-cooled resistors take up ten per cent of the space and 15 per cent of the weight of equivalent air-cooled resistors that require additional cooling fans.

Using patented materials and manufacturing processes, Cressall’s lightweight water-cooled EV resistors retain high levels of excess energy generated during braking for a more efficient, safer electric driving experience. Manufacturers have the option of the heavy duty EV2 resistor for large vehicles and the EVT resistor for passenger vehicles.

The EV market continues to face challenges as consumers and manufacturers alike reserve hesitations. However, with renewed government support and innovative technologies to make EVs more commercially viable, car manufacturers can feel confident that the future is electric.

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