How many people do you know who own an electric vehicle? Most Australians still drive petrol-fuelled cars. But the proportion of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads is set to boom in coming years, particularly if the government’s plans to introduce a fuel efficiency standard prove successful.
Transport researchers at the University of Melbourne Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology have studied the expectations EV owners have for charging – and what they think of policies and technologies that aim to shape EV charging behaviours.
Why we need to prepare Australia for electric vehicles
Cars account for 10 per cent of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles are a major solution that will lead to a zero-carbon transport sector. But electric vehicles are power-hungry.
“The main issue is that electric vehicles could add significant electrical load to the grid at the wrong time. And there may be parts of the grid, especially in the distribution networks – which is like the edge of the grid in a way – that may already be congested,” says Professor Pierluigi Mancarella, Chair of Electrical Power Systems at the Melbourne Energy Institute.
Electricity use already peaks at around 6 pm. The added load from masses of commuters plugging in their vehicles at once would strain the grid – and complicate Australia’s transition to renewable energy.
However, intelligent management of electric vehicle charging can bridge gaps in the renewable energy supply. EVs could charge from solar cells during the day and feed electricity back to the home or the grid in the evening.
“Electric vehicles can be hugely beneficial while we make our grid smarter and more sustainable,” says Professor Mancarella.