There's a lot of discussion about EV charging. One of the main topics is whether EV charging will break the grid. The belief is that the increased EV ownership will result in more demand than the networks can supply, particularly during times of peak demand in the summer. Is this a fact or just a myth? Let's find out more in this article.
Can the Grid Handle EVs?
This is an understandable worry considering the blackouts and brownouts. Switch every car over to electric and it seems like more power issues are inevitable. However, the simple answer to this question is Yes. And here's why:
- There is plenty of spare capacity in the nation's electric grid to power hundreds of millions of EVs, multiple studies have found — as long as charging is properly managed. Managed charging, which would ensure that EVs only top themselves up when there's grid capacity.
- Most EVs charge overnight when people are sleeping and electricity demand is low.
- Even if they're plugged in all day, owners can schedule when they need their car to be fully charged. Then smart charging technology will automatically find the optimal time to charge.
- EVs could actually help to balance the load. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology takes that relationship even further, enabling utilities to draw power out of an EV when it's most needed.
- Technologies enable our existing grid to carry more current more efficiently, like dynamic line rating, which pushes more current through old wires when the weather is right. With things like residential solar and distributed generation from wind and solar farms, there's a lot more give and take.
While we will need to increase our supply of renewable energy and continue to invest in the capacity and resilience of the power grid, it's clear that EVs alone are not going to overload our power grid.
