The Evolution of Plug-in Electric Vehicle-Grid Interactions

Over the past decade key technologies have progressed so that mass-market viable PEVs (Plug-In Electric Vehicles) are now available to drivers in the U.S. PEV-grid interactions comprise a mix of industries that have not interacted closely in the past. The various participants include vehicle manufacturers, utilities, and supplier firms who have radically different business models, regulatory and legal environments, geographical scope, and technical capabilities.

A wide variety of sources from research universities, standards-setting bodies, and the automotive and utility industries are used to assess the likely progression of technologies, critical priorities and constraints, and business/regulatory environment to identify and articulate a likely scenario of PEV-Grid interactions over the course of the next decade. Since the scope of key participants is so broad, subjected to substantially different operating paradigms for many decades, and the technology so new this scenario provides a useful framework for focusing resources to the most potentially relevant areas of research as well placing “a stake in ground” to foster further debate on the likely progression.