Abstract
This paper presents workplace charging needs from two perspectives: the potential needs based on modelling and the needs based on survey results. These approaches both examine workplace needs from what people need to increase usage of the cars, and what workplace charging they will they actually use. The analysis reveals that for California driving patterns, chargers at the workplace can increase electric vehicle miles travelled (eVMT) by approximately 2%-10% for PHEVs and about 6%-9% for a 60-100 mile battery electric vehicle (BEV). The actual number of chargers used depends on the price charged. Both methods show that workplace charging will increase if charging is free versus a priced scenario with no extra benefit in terms of eVMT. The survey shows that 2 out of 10 vehicles will use workplace charging if it is priced between home electricity and gasoline on a cents per mile basis, while 8 out of 10 vehicles will use it if free on any given day. This corresponds to a 2-4 times increase in “needed” chargers depending on assumptions of how many cars one charger can serve per day. Also investigated was the speed of charging needed at work. Most charging of PHEVs can be accomplished with low power charging and 80% of BEV charging can be accomplished with low power. In general low power charging should comprise 80% or chargers, and charging price should be segmented by charging speed to encourage efficient use of high power chargers – reserving high power level 2 charging for those who need it such as some BEVs and utilizing low power chargers for PHEVs and low need BEVs.
Highlights
Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) consisting of both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are rapidly entering the marketplace and policy makers are seeking ways to increase their sale and likelihood of use
Following the needs-based charging approach and assuming that drivers charge at home as much as possible, we see that workplace charging can provide from 5.7% - 9.4% extra statewide electric vehicle miles travelled (eVMT) depending on battery size (Figures 2-4)
10 mile PHEVs need charging more often, the battery capacity is not big enough to store much energy and the battery fills up before there is enough energy to get home. Larger battery sizes such as a 40 mile PHEV need less charging from work when looked at statewide and workplace charging only accounts for 6% extra eVMT
Summary
Plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) consisting of both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are rapidly entering the marketplace and policy makers are seeking ways to increase their sale and likelihood of use. Questions remain: How much is needed, and what is the societal benefit? In the rush to install workplace charging, workplaces may be tempted to install a few free high power level 2 chargers without much forethought as to how they will be used and what benefit, if any, they are providing to the usage of electric vehicles. Recent experience in California, one of the most active PEV markets in the world, shows that in the context of a sizeable market, chargers quickly fill up at the workplace. What is the benefit that is being provided? This paper attempts to answer these questions from two different perspectives: surveys and modelling. Modelling shows a longer term perspective on what might happen in the future. Surveys give insight into this modelling and provide guidance on shorter term objectives
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