Publications

Electric Vehicle Capitals: Showing the Path to a Mainstream Market

11/20/2019

This briefing assesses metropolitan area-level data on plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) registrations and identifies the 25 largest PEV markets, which together represent 42% of new passenger PEV sales globally through 2018. To provide a blueprint for other governments, this briefing analyzes the incentives, charging infrastructure, and city promotion actions in these areas that are spurring PEVs into the mainstream.

Authors: Hall, D.; Cui, H.; Lutsey, N.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be accessed on The International Council on Clean Transportation's website.

Transportation Electrification Study

11/1/2019

Many cities around the country have undertaken actions and policies to support transportation electrification to improve air quality, reduce pollution, support residents that choose to drive electric vehicles (EVs), and promote economic development. This study recommends efforts the City of Raleigh can undertake to advance transportation electrification both in its own operations and in the community more broadly. The report describes recommended strategies and actions the City of Raleigh can undertake to advance transportation electrification in the areas of City of Raleigh municipal fleet, charging infrastructure, economic development and public engagement, and implementation roles and responsibilities.

Funding the Transition to All Zero-Emission Vehicles

10/14/2019

Governments around the world actively steer their markets toward electric vehicles (EVs). Among the key considerations for governments are: what types of support for incentives, infrastructure, and other programs are needed; how long to offer funding; and how the costs and benefits compare. This white paper analyzes the costs, benefits, and associated government funding, with the switch to all passenger EVs. The research quantifies funding based on incentives that are aligned with declining EV costs and the expenditures of exemplary programs in several high-EV uptake markets. The relative costs, benefits, and government outlays are analyzed for the switch to all EVs in the light-duty vehicle markets of the United States and Germany.

Authors: Slowik, P.; Hall, D.; Lutsey, N.; Nicholas, M.; Wappelhorst, S.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be accessed on The International Council on Clean Transportation's website.

Electric Vehicles: Key Trends, Issues, and Considerations for State Regulators

10/1/2019

Over the past few years, states across the country have seen increased consumer adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), thereby increasing electricity demand from the transportation sector. Electric utilities are at different stages of exploring their role in both building EV charging infrastructure and managing grid impacts, including through rate design and managed charging. As a result, many Public Utility Commissions (PUCs), the state agencies tasked with regulating utilities, are being asked to make decisions in this unfamiliar industry, sometimes without direct legislative guidance. This issue brief provides data about the trends in EV adoption, a synopsis of the types of decisions PUCs are facing, and examples of recent state regulatory approaches to EV questions.

Authors: Harper C.; McAndrews, G.; Sass Byrnett, D.

Transportation Electrification: States Rev Up

9/26/2019

States are pivotal to enabling transportation electrification. The use of electric vehicles on a large scale necessitates decisions regarding a wide range of issues, including education and outreach efforts, vehicle and charging infrastructure incentives, the location and specifications of public charging infrastructure, electrification corridor designations and signage and, in some states, allowable vehicle emissions levels. This white paper explores state incentives and other policy tools to enable electrification.

Authors: Rogotzke, M.; Eucalitto, G.; Gander, S.

Assessing the Business Case for Hosting Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in New York State

9/12/2019

As the plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market grows, so does the demand for public charging stations. Public charging infrastructure expansion is limited by high upfront costs of equipment and installation, uncertain usage of charging services, and consumers’ willingness to pay for public charging. To date, public funding has been an important component of cost recovery and value maximization for station hosts. This white paper evaluates the business case of hosting a Level 2 charging station in New York State. In addition, the report explores scenarios that vary charging-use and revenue sources to better understand the key factors that drive profitability from hosting these stations. The goal of the report is to harness real-world experience to establish an understanding of current charging behavior and inform future efforts to expand the PEV market in New York.

Telematics and Data Science: Informing Energy-Efficient Mobility

8/6/2019

Fleets exploring the possibility of adding plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) seek an efficient, data-driven means to estimate both expenditures for vehicle and charging infrastructure and the appropriate placement of them to help ensure the cost-effective adoption of these technologies. Exploring data collection and analytic methodologies across different telematics providers offers the opportunity to better understand the strengths, weaknesses, and possibilities for employing different methods of data collection, including smartphone-based telematics and more traditional telematics with hardware installed on a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port. This report presents results of five pilot programs that collected data from the operation of conventional light-duty fleet vehicles to generate estimates for transitioning these fleet vehicles to PEVs, implementing charging infrastructure, and establishing management practices to maximize the benefits of these new fleet technologies.

Authors: Daley, R.; Helm, M.

Interoperability of Public EV Charging Infrastructure

8/1/2019

The electric vehicle (EV) market is rapidly accelerating, as is funding in the charging infrastructure needed to support this growing market. While the vast majority of EV charging now takes place at home and at work, widespread, open-access public charging infrastructure is essential to support EV drivers beyond early adopters. This paper identifies challenges, creates awareness, and provides perspective to achieve greater interoperability and open standards in the U.S. EV charging market.

Analytical White Paper: Overcoming Barriers to Expanding Fast Charging Infrastructure in the Midcontinent Region

7/1/2019

This white paper highlights the main considerations in designing a demand charge tariff structure that is suitable for encouraging direct current fast charger use, highlights approaches taken by some utilities, and presents information for utilities and regulators to consider as they are seeking their own solutions to this problem. Note: This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the Great Plains Institute website.

Authors: McFarlane, D.; Prorok, M.; Jordan, B.; Kemabonta, T.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be accessed on the Great Plains Institute website.

Summary of Best Practices in Electric Vehicle Ordinances

6/18/2019

This document is a summary guide to electric vehicle (EV) and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) ordinances in the United States. The guide is sorted into best practice categories and provides a summary of typical provisions used by cities for each category. Each category includes a table with key points and text examples from actual ordinances, as well as recommendations from model codes for that topic, drawn from one of several model ordinances or ordinance guidance documents that have been developed to inform cities on developing EV-ready zoning standards. This summary is provided as a reference to cities seeking to develop EV zoning standards or development regulations.

Authors: Cooke, C.; Ross, B.

Vehicle Electrification: Federal and State Issues Affecting Deployment

6/3/2019

Motor vehicle electrification has emerged in the past decade as a potentially viable alternative to internal combustion engines. Although only a small proportion of the current motor vehicle fleet is electrified, interest in passenger vehicle electrification has accelerated in several major industrial countries, including the United States, parts of Europe, and China. Despite advances in technology, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) continue to be significantly more expensive than similarly sized vehicles with internal combustion engines. For this reason, governments in many countries have adopted policies to promote development and sales of PEVs. This report discusses federal and state government policies in the United States to support electrification of light vehicles and transit buses, as well as proposals to reduce or eliminate such support.

Authors: Canis. B.; Clark, C.E.; Sherlock, M.F.

Preparing Our Communities for EVs: Facilitating Deployment of DC Fast Chargers

5/23/2019

To close the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) gap and keep pace with increasing demand, states identified streamlining permitting for EVSE as a high priority in the Multi-State Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan and the Northeast Corridor Regional Strategy for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure. Because local municipal and county governments are the authorities having jurisdiction over permitting charging stations, the purpose of this document is to present information about plug-in electric vehicles, EVSE, and common issues that arise when permitting direct current fast charging stations.

Authors: O'Grady, E.; Way, J.

Utilities and Electric Vehicles: The Case for Managed Charging

5/9/2019

Electric vehicles (EVs) are quickly becoming one of the largest flexible loads on the grid in certain parts of the United States. While most industry analysts see EVs as a boon for utilities, load management risks could be an issue. Managed charging allows a utility or third-party to remotely control vehicle charging by turning it up, down, or even off to better correspond to the needs of the grid, much like traditional demand response programs. This research report provides a wide-lens overview of the managed charging ecosystem, including examples of utility programs, a list of vehicle-grid integration and connected-car platform providers, a list of compatible electric vehicle supply equipment, and examples of automotive industry activities.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be accessed through Smart Electric Power Alliance's website.

Update on electric vehicle costs in the United States through 2030

4/1/2019

This working paper assesses battery electric vehicle (EV) costs from 2020 through 2030, collecting the best battery pack and EV component cost data available through 2018. The assessment also analyzes the anticipated timing for price parity for representative EVs, crossovers, and sport utility vehicles compared to their conventional gasoline counterparts in the U.S. light-duty vehicle market.

Authors: Lutsey, N.; Nicholas, M.

Notes:

This copyrighted publication can be downloaded from the International Council on clean Transportation website.

Meeting 2025 Zero Emission Vehicle Goals: An Assessment of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure in Maryland

2/20/2019

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been enlisted to conduct a statewide assessment of the electric vehicle charging infrastructure requirements for Maryland to meet its goal of supporting 300,000 electric vehicles by 2025. NREL's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Projection Tool (EVI-Pro) was used to generate scenarios of statewide charging infrastructure to support consumer plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) adoption based on travel patterns provided by INRIX (a commercial mapping/traffic company) that are used to characterize regional travel in Maryland and to anticipate future demand for PEV charging. Results indicate that significant expansion of Maryland's electric vehicle charging infrastructure will be required to support the state's PEV goal for 2025. Analysis shows that a fleet of 300,000 PEVs will require 17,400 workplace Level 2 plugs, 9,300 public Level 2 plugs, and 1,000 fast charge plugs. These estimates assume that future PEVs will be driven in a manner consistent with present day gasoline vehicles and that most charging will happen at residential locations. A sensitivity study explores edge cases pertaining to several assumptions, highlighting factors that heavily influence the projected infrastructure requirements. Variations in the makeup of the PEV fleet, evolving consumer charging preferences, and availability of residential charging are all shown to influence 2025 infrastructure requirements.

Authors: Moniot, M.; Rames, C.; Wood, E.