Charging infrastructure along US highways will need significant upgrades to deliver the amount of power needed in the electric vehicle future, as per Autoblog.
A new study suggests that:
- A boom in electric cars and trucks will need big upgrades to charging infrastructure.
- It suggests that by 2035 some stations will have to supply as much power as a small town.
- As soon as 2030, a typical charging station’s peak energy usage could demand as much power as a sports arena.
US roads are destined for an onslaught of EVs, from SUVs and pickup trucks to delivery vans and semis.
However, the country’s charging infrastructure, more specifically, the amount of power stations can offer, is not yet up to the task.
A new study from the electricity and gas utility National Grid, serving parts of New York and Massachusetts, suggests that the typical passenger plaza along a highway will need as much power as a sports arena during its busiest times by 2030.
Truck stops would need 19 MW by 2035
Furthermore, by 2035, a larger installation serving passenger cars and trucks would need to supply 19 megawatts (MW) of peak power, National Grid estimates, roughly what a small town uses.
In 2045, that kind of truck stop may need 30 MW capacity, approaching a large industrial plant’s peak usage.
71 charging sites for future demand
National Grid approximated the future electricity demand at 71 potential charging sites, including truck stops and service plazas in the Northeast.
It assumed that all light-duty car sales will be electric by 2035 and all medium-duty and heavy-duty sales will go the same by 2045, in line with Massachusetts’ and New York’s goals.
“Today’s charging and gas stations are not equipped to provide nearly the amount of power that National Grid expects will be needed by 2030, much less 2045. Serving up 5 megawatts or more typically requires major power-grid improvements,” the company said.
The study’s authors state that utilities and policymakers need to begin planning for upgrades to meet future highways’ demands and avoid stunting the EV shift.
It is not that this challenge is impossible to overcome. Energy and transportation experts told Insider that, with some smart planning, utilities could manage the coming EV wave.
Tesla & others account for 5% of new car sales in the US
Furthermore, these are early days. Teslas and other battery-powered models amount to around 5% of new-car sales in the US. The world of electric trucks is very much in its starting phase.
However, “building out charging infrastructure takes time, and it pays to get ahead of the curve,” National Grid said.
“Building these high-voltage interconnections and upgrades can take years, which is why it’s important to take action right now,”
“By making ‘no-regrets’ upgrades at ‘no-regrets’ sites, we can make sure fast-charging is there when drivers need it—and not a moment too late.”
