Estimating Residential Electric Vehicle Electricity Use

Research Team: Catherine Wolfram (lead), Andy Campbell, James Bushnell, David Rapson, Fiona Burlig

UC Campus(es): UC Berkeley, UC Davis

Problem Statement: The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EV) is a centerpiece of California’s strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions, however, little is known about how and where EVs are being used, and how and where they are being charged. The impact of EV charging (or charging load) on residential energy demand is the least understood component of EV usage because most households with EVs do not have separate meters measuring EV consumption.

Project Description: This study provides the first at-scale estimate of EV home charging. Previous estimates were based on conflicting surveys or extrapolated from a small, unrepresentative sample of households with dedicated EV meters. This project combined billions of hourly electricity meter measurements with address-level EV registration records from California households, including roughly 40,000 EV owners. Key findings include that the average EV increases overall household load by 2.9 kilowatt-hours per day, well under half the amount assumed by state regulators. Results imply that EVs travel less than expected on electric power, raising questions about transportation electrification for climate policy.

Status: Completed

Budget: $78,016