In a joint study issued on April 10, the Electric Power Research Institute and Natural Resources Defense Council found that electric vehicle efficiency improvements have the potential to significantly reduce future electric infrastructure buildout, energy usage, and consumer costs over the next three decades.
According to the study, by 2050, continued advances in EV efficiencies could:
- Reduce electricity consumption per mile in half;
- Lower electricity demand by hundreds of terawatt-hours annually and decrease associated grid buildout, reducing peak demand by nearly 300 gigawatts; and
- Provide consumer energy cost savings of more than $200 billion annually if accomplished without raising vehicle costs.
Key vehicle energy efficiency measures evaluated include reduced weight without sacrificing size or safety, reduced aerodynamic drag, improved battery and powertrain efficiency, and higher battery energy density.
According to the study, efficiency gains create opportunities for lower vehicle ownership costs and better performance. Also, more efficient battery technology could lessen supply chain concerns by reducing the quantity of raw materials needed to produce batteries.
The study applied EPRI’s U.S. REGEN model to assess consumer energy choices and energy system buildout under four scenarios that varied the efficiency characteristics of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty on-road vehicles.
The four scenarios include a case in which today’s technology doesn’t improve over time, an intermediate scenario with improved technology at a rate roughly consistent with historic efficiency trends, and two scenarios reflecting accelerated trends toward advanced efficiency gains.
To read the full paper, visit: Valuing Improvements in Electric Vehicle Efficiency
