How parking must adapt for EVs

A revolution is underway in the parking world as humble rectangles of asphalt become not just a place to leave your car, but a place where it will also refuel. What are the challenges that parking operators must now overcome? And will vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology soon be part of the picture?

A good car park has always been one that is convenient, secure and competitively priced but now, as electric vehicles (EVs) continue to surge in popularity, a new service must be added to any premium facility – vehicle charging. 

As with any new service, there are new challenges to be overcome for those providing it. Delivering EV charging effectively in a car park isn’t as simple as installing a few charging points, because this expensive infrastructure also needs to be properly managed, so that valuable minutes and hours are not wasted by cars parked in these spaces that are already fully charged – or don’t even need charging in the first place. Here, technology can help.

"Using IoT devices like bay sensors and video analytics, we can collect a wealth of data on utilization and optimize enforcement," says Scott Gow, chair of the British Parking Association’s (BPA’s) EV Connect, who has over 30 years of experience in the parking industry and spoke recently at the Highways UK conference in Birmingham. "This technology enables us to respond in real-time when a bay is blocked or not being used for charging."

Gow believes this targeted approach is crucial. "We can use the back office to send an alert to the operator when a bay isn't being used properly. That allows them to act intelligently, rather than just randomly checking cars."

Gow's thoughts are echoed by Hannah Fuller, chair of the BPA’s Women in Parking Advisory Group. Fuller has been exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in EV charging enforcement. "We're working closely with ANPR companies, using AI to identify vehicle types even when the plate is unclear," she says.

However, while AI may be useful, in many jurisdictions the use of ANPR cameras for enforcement can be contentious. Even in the UK, where this technology is widely used for traffic enforcement, its admissibility for evidence in parking infractions that occur on private land isn’t clear. "There was a letter in 2014 saying you can't use ANPR, even if you own the land," says Gow. "The problem is, it's never been tested in law, so there's a lot of ambiguity. It’s a grey area."

Signage is also a major challenge. "It's one of the reasons local authorities avoid implementing new regulations," says Gow. "They just don't want to deal with the signage requirements."

“We need to simplify things like signage, so people know what they're signing up for," agrees Fuller. “It's about how we provide information, so customers understand their choices.”

Integrated payments

Optimisation of assets and enforcement aren’t the only challenges of integrating EV charging with parking – the question of payment is also key. No EV driver wants to have to navigate a confusing mosaic of apps to park and charge their car, while operators need an efficient, streamlined back office. The integration of parking and charging payments is therefore paramount. 

“There's significant revenue involved,” says Fuller. “We need to make sure we're set up in a way that delivers for both local authorities and customers.”

"We get a lot of complaints about people getting penalty charges after using an EV app,” admits Gow. “Partnering with local authorities on common payment platforms could help avoid that confusion.”

In a world of smart devices push notifications could be one way to optimise the use of charging points. For example, if a car is 90% charged, the rate could increase from €1 to €5 per hour, in order to encourage the driver to move on and free up the spot. Alternatively, drivers who move their car when they get a notification that someone else wants to use that spot could be given future discounts on charging.

Sarah Randall, director of Local Government and Propositions at Agena Group, believes that this ‘carrot’ approach is more effective than the ‘stick’ “People are happier to be nudged in the right direction, rather than facing hard enforcement," she says.

Working together

Ultimately smarter parking and charging solutions are going to require a new level of collaboration between parking providers, EV charging companies, OEMs, app developers and highway operators. 

"If we're not talking to the entirety of our infrastructure, we're going to miss the mark,” says Fuller. “We need to make sure we're maximizing what we do and tying that into multi-use scenarios."

As the industry navigates these challenges, the focus remains on creating a seamless, user-friendly experience for EV drivers while optimizing limited charging infrastructure. 

Fuller believes that harnessing data and technology is crucial, but must be balanced with clear communication. "It's about how we surface information, so customers have choice and understanding. That's going to be a huge benefit."

Gow is optimistic: "With continued innovation, regulatory evolution, and cross-sector cooperation, the future looks brighter than ever – and increasingly intelligent.”

V2G and parking

As charging infrastructure for EVs grows, the next possibility on the horizon is harnessing the vehicle-to-grid technology to help with load-balancing across the national grids. This is now being trailed in Italy, not in public car parks, but using new EVs sitting unused and waiting for shipment in lots owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA)

The DrossOne V2G Parking, fully funded by the EU Emissions Trading System, is world's first commercial large-scale centralized vehicle-to-grid (V2G) system. At the heart of the project are 280 bidirectional fast chargers, designed to transform an OEM parking lot into a sophisticated power management hub. 

The untapped power potential of new electric vehicles awaiting shipment to dealerships is complemented by a stationary storage unit built from second-life batteries. And the project's cornerstone innovation lies in its sophisticated hardware – specifically, a new DC-DC converter that overcomes previous limitations in V2G technology. 

Unlike earlier systems that could only handle identical vehicles, this advancement enables the charging and discharging of various electric vehicles, including high-voltage battery packs from commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses, regardless of their battery state of charge. 

This intelligent system creates a single interface with the power grid, streamlining the delivery of essential stability services to Italy's transmission system operator (TSO).

Running until 2027, the project aims to deliver 25 MW of ultra-fast reserve services, with the capability to dispatch up to 30.8 MW for ancillary services. This significant capacity offers a clean alternative to traditional thermal plants for grid balancing and flexibility services.

The system's capabilities extend far beyond basic power storage. The V2G platform is designed to provide a comprehensive suite of grid services, including frequency regulation, voltage regulation, and balancing services. While some services await regulation in the Italian market, the platform will initially focus on ultra-rapid reserve and real-time services, including tertiary reserve, balancing, intra-day trading, and portfolio balancing.

This innovative project represents a significant step forward in grid stabilization technology, demonstrating how parked electric vehicles can contribute to a more sustainable and flexible power grid while creating value from otherwise idle assets.

Gow expands on this, outlining how vehicle-to-grid technology could enable even more sophisticated management. "You could get a notification saying someone else wants to use your spot, but they're getting a discount for charging at that time," he explains. 

 “Vehicle-to-Grid technology represents a significant opportunity to optimize the operating costs of cars for the benefit of motorists, as well as the concrete possibility of contributing to the sustainability of the power grid,” says Roberto Di Stefano, head of e-Mobility for FCA’s EMEA region. “However, we need a V2G-friendly regulatory environment. The Ministry of Economic Development has laid down criteria… A full regulatory framework is now expected to follow.”

Such projects are pioneering a way forward for EV charging that may one day been seen in public parking facilities – helping not only to meet the needs of EV drivers but also benefit the wider community via smart load-balancing of the grid. The revolution in parking technology that EVs are creating has only just begun.

This article is a preview of one that will appear in the forthcoming Intertraffic World 2025