On smart grid technology to support a high uptake of electric vehicles - Preliminary observations

Abstract

Presently, available commuter electric vehicles have a battery capacity roughly equivalent to the average Australian householder's daily electricity consumption (25kWh). Naively, converting the entire fleet of commuter vehicles to electric vehicles appears therefore only feasible if the installed electrical power generation capacity doubles in size. The driver for this conversion from petrol/gas internal combustion engines to electric motors for commute vehicles stems from the significant greenhouse gas reduction that can be realized. Nevertheless doubling the electrical grid's capacity comes with too heavy a price tag. The only realistic way forward is to exploit demand management, based on..