Isra-Mart srl:Report: German grid could handle up to one million EVs

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Concerns the grid will not be able to support mass adoption of electric vehicles are largely unfounded, according to a new analysis of Germany's grid resilience that concluded it could support up to one million electric cars by 2020.

The report from Siemens and E.ON, which was presented yesterday to the German Federal government, argued that only "isolated segments" were likely to need upgrading in areas where there is a locally high density of EVs.

They said a national smart charging infrastructure capable of supporting huge numbers of electric vehicles will not be needed in the near future.

"It would be a mistake to set the technology bar too high for charging stations," said Klaus-Dieter Maubach, co-chair of the working group and an E.ON board member. "What we need right now are pragmatic, cost-effective solutions that will make e-mobility viable in the marketplace."

The report also expressed confidence the entire national fleet of electric vehicles could be powered by renewable sources, stating that the country's expected renewable electricity output by 2020 of approximately 100 billion kilowatt-hours would be 50 times larger than the amount needed to supply one million EVs.

The authors expect cable-free inductive charging and higher-voltage direct-current charging to be in place by 2020, encouraging EV take-up by making charging faster and more convenient for motorists.

However, suitable investment would be needed to integrate this new smart infrastructure and enable automatic charging at times when renewables output exceeds system demand.

"Deploying smart controls across the network is necessary, in part to ensure that electric vehicles can be powered by green electricity. Smart-grid technology is already available today," said Wolfgang Dehen, chief executive of Siemens Energy Sector and co-chair of the working group. "Germany must rapidly lay the groundwork for deploying a smart grid."