Optimal Electric Vehicle Charging Considering the Effects of a Financial Incentive on Battery Ageing

Abstract

As the market share of electric vehicles increases, the intermittent load on the electricity grid due to charging will increase. This can be counteracted by Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) which utilises dormant electric vehicles to feed power into the grid, generating income for the vehicle owner while relieving load across the grid. However, increased battery use through V2G can negatively affect battery health. In this work, a computational model of an electric vehicle with battery degradation is used to investigate the relationship of these effects. The analysis was conducted at the top level of detail, only considering the battery pack of the vehicle. The findings of this investigation show that the cost relating to battery degradation is smaller than the potential profit available from Vehicle-to-Grid over a three-year period. However, the benefit does not seem to be enough to justify the upfront investment requirement, and further financial incentives, such as net billing, may be required to make V2G economically viable. Future development within this field is vital for the success of the electric vehicle within the automotive markets, and for the transition to a renewable energy grid.