Smart electric automobile charging crucial for mass adoption of EVs

electric automobiles will need to be capable of ‘smart’ recharging if the UK wants to avoid costly upgrades to the power network in the next two decades, new research has found. 
According to analysis by Aurora energy Research, the next two years could see electric automobiles reach cost parity with conventional diesel and petrol cars. By 2035, Aurora estimates there could be 10 million electric automobiles on Britain’s roads, representing 30 per cent of the overall automobile fleet.
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This rise in EVs would increase power demand by 19TWh per year, a six per cent increase from the current power usage. However, the study warns that height demand in the evenings, when owners usually recharge their cars, could go up substantially as a result. Charging all 10 million automobiles during height hours “would require an additional 3GWs of additional generation capacity at height times, as well as requiring potentially costly reinforcements,” according to the study.  
Future EVs capable of ‘smart’ recharging, where they recharge their batteries during off-peak hours or where energy companies take over the charging times for EVs, could minimize the impact EVs have on the grid. 
Richard Howard, head of research at Aurora energy research said: “There are lots of scare stories out there suggesting our power system cannot cope with the growth in electric vehicles. On the contrary, our research suggests that supplied EV charging is smart, the GB power system can easily accommodate 15 million+ electric cars. In fact, the flexibility of EV charging could be useful for overall grid operation, and improve the economics of renewable power.”