Most electric vehicles (EVs) have a shorter range on a full charge, compared with internal combustion engine vehicles on a full tank of petrol.

This means that EV owners not only need to charge their cars more frequently, but also need to spend more time on charging.

The time taken to charge a car using a typical AC-powered charger installed in homes or shopping centres from empty to full can vary from four hours to 21 hours, depending on the car model.

Utilising public or shared chargers will require the EV driver to arrange his schedule around charger locations and availability.

A charger may be occupied by another vehicle for several hours when one needs it most.

Time is precious, and I am not willing to make this lifestyle change to reduce my carbon footprint.

Having dedicated charging points at carparks in residential areas or workplaces will be the most convenient option, and a necessary condition for EV adoption.

EV drivers can plug in their cars when they return home or arrive at work, and have their vehicles fully charged when they leave home or the workplace.

I would like to suggest that Housing Board estates, condominiums or office buildings create season parking spots with charging points for EVs, marked with specific car numbers.

Installing the chargers only when there are EVs that need them in the estate or workplace will also result in better utilisation.

Many public charging points I see at my workplace and in shopping centres are underutilised.

Sometimes the electrical power available in carparks may not be able to support more than a few EVs, but the number can be increased by using dynamic load management, without too much infrastructure costs.

Electricity can be billed according to a meter reading, a fixed subscription, or the EV model's rated electricity consumption.

The cost of installation can be recovered from the season parking fees.

Tan Teing Ee