Project Overview

The electrification of the transportation sector is key for decarbonization. Electric vehicles (EVs) are expanding rapidly. Current distribution systems are not equipped for a full conversion to EVs; coincident charging can lead to grid failure and costly upgrades. If households can be motivated to adjust their charging decisions, possibly in a coordinated manner, these impacts can be mitigated.

Using a field experiment, we evaluate the relative efficacy of interventions to shift EV charge timing. We compare the performance of time-of-use (TOU) pricing, a common financial signal, to centralized utility management, in which charging decisions are determined by an algorithm to coordinate charging across EVs. While TOU pricing can shift charge timing, it may result in new peak times. Managed charging can avoid this by optimizing EV charge timing both across time and on local distribution bottlenecks.