Decarbonising our transport system: Vehicle use behaviour analysis to assess the potential of transitioning to electric mobility

Waldron, Julie; Rodrigues, Lucelia; Gillott, Mark; Naylor, Sophie; Shipman, Rob

Abstract

The transport sector is responsible for over 20% of the global carbon emissions. One of the strategies to reduce its impact includes transitioning to electric vehicles (EV). However, this represents several challenges to existing cities, such as the lack of a charging network compatible with different vehicles archetypes , the increase in energy demand, and the aged infrastructure that can result in power shortages. In this paper is presented a behaviour analysis covering a 49-vehicle fleet of a university in the UK. One year data was analysed, including 150,656 journeys undertaken by various taskforces. The results indicate that 96.3% to 99.8% of the time, the pattern of use fit within the current range of capacity of EVs. Stationary time analysis showed that most of the vehicles remained parked overnight (+10 hours) and during daytime the vehicles were not used simultaneously. This is a convenient scenario to implement vehicle-to-grid, which would allow the users to monetise their vehicles by using their batteries as assets. A vehicle-parking location analysis identified potential locations for charging infrastructure. Finally, reductions of 79.6% in carbon emissions were estimated if the fossil-fuelled vehicles were to be replaced by EVs. This reduction may increase as grid energy is decarbonised.

Citation

Waldron, J., Rodrigues, L., Gillott, M., Naylor, S., & Shipman, R. (2020). Decarbonising our transport system: Vehicle use behaviour analysis to assess the potential of transitioning to electric mobility. In J. Rodríguez Álvarez, & J. C. Soares Gonçalves (Eds.), Planning Post Carbon Cities: 35th PLEA Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, A Coruña, 1st-3rd September 2020: Proceedings (689-694). https://doi.org/10.17979/spudc.9788497497947

• Conference Name: 35th PLEA Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture (PLEA 2020). Planning Post Carbon Cities
• Conference Location: A Coruna, Spain
• Start Date: Sep 1, 2020
• End Date: Sep 3, 2020
• Acceptance Date: Jul 23, 2020
• Publication Date: Sep 2, 2020
• Deposit Date: Aug 25, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 2, 2020
• Volume: 1
• Pages: 689-694
• Series Title: PLEA Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture
• Book Title: Planning Post Carbon Cities: 35th PLEA Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, A Coruña, 1st-3rd September 2020: Proceedings
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.17979/spudc.9788497497947
• Keywords: Electric Vehicles; Vehicle to Grid; Renewable Energy; Energy Storage; Decarbonising the Grid
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4850619
• Publisher URL: https://ruc.udc.es/dspace/handle/2183/26695
• Related Public URLs: https://www.plea2020.org/programme-1