The charging of electric vehicles at off-peak times will lower demands on the UK energy system to 0.5 GW peak demand, compared to 3 GW if a predicted 10 million electric cars are charged during peak hours of 4-6 p.m., according to a report from Aurora Energy Research. Smart charging could help drivers’ wallets too, costing them £110 a year to power their car by exploiting cheaper times of day, versus £280 for charging at peak times. The research predicts that the number of electric cars on UK roads will grow from the current figure of 120,000 to 10 million by 2035 and 17 million by 2040. “Electric car owners have been waiting for this day since they were first introduced in Europe more than 20 years ago,” said Mark Williams, CEO of Aurora.
The charging of electric vehicles at off-peak times will lower demands on the UK energy system to 0.5 GW peak demand, compared to 3 GW if a predicted 10 million electric cars are charged during peak hours of 4-6 p.m., according to a report from Aurora Energy Research. The research predicts that the number of electric cars on UK roads will grow from the current figure of 120,000 to 10 million by 2035 and 17 million by 2040. “Electric car owners have been waiting for this day since they were first introduced in Europe more than 20 years ago,” said Mark Williams, CEO of Aurora.