After Great Britain, now Switzerland: The Confederates fear energy shortages - and are also planning significant restrictions on electric cars.
How much load do electric cars put on the power grid?
This question is discussed at least as actively as the question of their actual climate friendliness or the charging infrastructure.
This applies locally, for example when charging several e-mobiles in a collective garage, but also over a wide area.
In Britain, which has been plagued by Brexit, there have long been plans to restrict battery charging when the network load is too high.
Another European country is now preparing for a possible energy shortage: Switzerland apparently fears a blackout and is reacting with the draft of a corresponding emergency ordinance.
If used, this would restrict the operation of energy-hungry luxury devices such as whirlpools, saunas and massage chairs.
Streaming services would have to throttle their data rate.
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Tesla in Zurich: is he threatened with a driving ban?
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© Andreas Haas/Imago
Switzerland is planning a driving ban for e-cars – for fear of a blackout
E-mobiles would probably also be affected, but with some delay - namely in the third escalation level.
"The private use of electric cars is only permitted for absolutely necessary journeys (e.g. professional practice, shopping, visits to the doctor, attending religious events, attending court hearings)", it says in the relevant part of the draft.
A speed limit for Stromer would also be possible: "One savings measure that also affects another decree is the speed reduction on motorways.
This is intended to have an indirect effect on the power consumption of electric vehicles," says the "Draft Ordinance on Restrictions and Bans on the Use of Electrical Energy".
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Switzerland plans driving ban for e-cars – French nuclear power plants are weakening
It is still unclear whether and to what extent the draft will actually become law and will then be applied.
However, it is not very unlikely, since Switzerland imports a lot of electricity from abroad - and, for example, the French nuclear power plants are currently supplying significantly less energy than usual.
In Germany, experts are also assuming the possibility of a temporary power shortage, which, however, would not manifest itself in a blackout but in a so-called browndown: the regional failure of some grids for a few hours.
List of rubrics: © Andreas Haas/Imago