Battery Electric Vehicle Global Adoption Practices and Distribution Grid Impacts: A Preliminary Case Study for Delhi, India

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EV) represent a large market opportunity to address macro- and micro-level carbon emissions, electric grid integration, and technological advances. Studies forecast that by 2040, 25% of the global car fleet will be EVs, leading to large carbon reduction in cities. India’s National Electric Mobility Mission Plan plans to deploy six-to-seven million hybrid and battery electric EVs by 2020. This significant challenge to accelerate deployment of EVs in India’s nascent market requires an understanding of global EV deployment practices and their impacts on the electric grid—primarily the distribution system with last-mile connectivity to the consumers. This study provides a contextual overview of battery-based EV (BEV) global deployment practices and unravels their impacts on the Delhi’s distribution grid. The study reviewed global practices for incentives, technologies, charging infrastructure, and demonstrations to contextually recommend BEV adoption strategies in India. The study conducted a limited and preliminary case study for impacts on Delhi’s power systems. Recommendations are provided to accelerate BEV adoption, consumer engagement, and integrated electric grid for the nascent transportation eco-system in India.