Charged EVs | Over half of respondents in ABB/AMS survey believe EV adoption deadlines are unrealistic

Countries and regions around the world have set sunset dates for the sale of fossil vehicles, most of them in the 2030-2040 timeframe. Are these deadlines achievable?

A new survey commissioned by ABB Robotics and Automotive Manufacturing Solutions asked 600 auto industry experts, including managers and engineers from vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, what they thought about pending ICE phase-out dates.

More than half (59%) of the respondents said they believe the shift to pure EV production is not achievable within current legislative timelines. Some 28% said that the deadlines were achievable, but that there would be significant challenges; 18% believe the present targets will never be met. Only 11% called all regional targets for EV adoption by 2030-2040 realistic.

The respondents surveyed highlighted challenges in adapting to a new battery supply chain, concerns over the levels of capital investment required, shortages of raw materials, suitable infrastructure and lack of grid capacity.

“The automotive industry is acutely aware of the stresses and strains involved in meeting the proposed regional timetables for reaching full EV production,” said Joerg Reger, Managing Director of ABB Robotics Automotive Business Line.

Naturally the company sees robotics as an important technology to enable the transition to EVs. “Automation is key to making production more resilient, efficient and faster to meet these targets, which is why we’re seeing high demand for our robots that specialize in EV powertrain assembly,” says ABB. “These solutions radically reduce build times, improve flexibility, further simplify the production process and ultimately drive down production costs.”

Source: ABB