摘要:Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) can use both grid-supplied electricity and liquid
fuels. We show that under recent conditions, millions of PHEVs could have charged
economically in California during both peak and off-peak hours even with modest gasoline
prices and real-time electricity pricing. Special electricity rate tariffs already in place for
electric vehicles could successfully render on-peak charging uneconomical and off-peak
charging very attractive. However, unless battery prices fall by at least a factor of two, or
gasoline prices double, the present value of fuel savings is smaller than the marginal vehicle
costs, likely slowing PHEV market penetration in California. We also find that
assumptions about how PHEVs are charged strongly influence the number of PHEVs
that can be charged before the electric power system must be expanded. If most
PHEVs are charged after the workday, and thus after the time of peak electricity
demand, our forecasts suggest that several million PHEVs could be deployed in
California without requiring new generation capacity, and we also find that the state's
PHEV fleet is unlikely to reach into the millions within the current electricity
sector planning cycle. To ensure desirable outcomes, appropriate technologies
and incentives for PHEV charging will be needed if PHEV adoption becomes
mainstream.