The University of California Institute of Transportation Studies' (UC ITS) white paper "Electric Vehicle Charge Management Strategies to Benefit the California Electricity Grid" explores the potential value for electric vehicle (EV) drivers and power companies from incorporating EVs into the state’s electrical power grids, known as Vehicle-Grid Integration (VGI).

However, the benefits could be highly variable depending on the location of the utility territory, vehicle type and battery capacity, the relevant timeframe, and whether the connection involves only managed charging or includes bidirectional charging permitting vehicle to grid (V2G) power transfer, and other factors.

Various studies conducted to date generally conclude that the opportunities for V2G could have two to three times the value of managed (or “smart”) charging. However, there are considerable additional complications for grid integration, including variable and site-specific implementation costs.

Some savings such as deferring distribution system upgrades can be very significant but are also site-specific and depend on the level of current and projected demands for electric power on the individual distribution feeder lines and are therefore difficult to predict.

Read the White Paper