Environmental Implications of the EV Cyber-Physical System

Abstract:

Transportation infrastructure and electricity infrastructure will become more interdependent as electric vehicles (EVs) become more widespread. Depending on how EV infrastructure and usage evolves, the US could require installation of 15 GW of generating capacity per year in order to meet the vehicle fleet’s energy needs [1]. Furthermore, the rise of electrified transportation will find itself intertwined with digital infrastructures. EV charging systems already rely on apps and smart control systems to a greater extent than entrenched liquid fueling systems.

One of the major outstanding infrastructural questions related to sustainable transportation remains how and where to deploy charging infrastructure for EVs, particularly in ways that enhance public utility and positive environmental outcomes. Included in this question is how and to what extent humans will be included “in the loop” of an evolved charging infrastructure that effectively manages demand peaks, behavioral schedules, grid stability, integration of intermittent energy sources on to the grid, and interactions between charging and parking needs. EV charging is thus a model cyber-physical system (CPS), in which people engage a combined digital and physical infrastructure. Understanding EVs in this way can inform potential future EV system pathways.

In this presentation we describe potential distinct CPS configurations for comparing future EV charging systems. These configurations are based on current trends in electric vehicle charging technology, proposed grid-integration configurations, and input from electrification experts and policymakers. We also present a preliminary life cycle inventory for each configuration at the system level, demonstrating a view of vehicle electrification impacts that goes beyond just the vehicles and electricity.

[1]

U.S. Drive Partnership, “Summary Report on EVs at Scale and the U.S. Electric Power System,” Nov. 2019. Accessed: Jul. 27, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://www.energy.gov/eere/vehicles/us-drive.