IEEE Electrification - September 2019 - 17

Transportation Electrification
The term transportation electrification can simply be
defined as moving from a gasoline-based vehicle to a full
EV. In between, there are hybrid vehicles as well as compressed natural gas vehicles. In the late 1990s, hybrid vehicles were introduced, and several became a popular
choice for consumers.
In 1968, the United States adopted federal standards for emissions controls, initiating a renewed
focus on developing EVs to reduce pollution and GHG
emissions. However, several factors have stalled the
adoption of EVs. Some hurdles that needed to be overcome include
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the charging time for EVs
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the cost to manufacture batteries
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the consumer cost
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a lack of charging infrastructure
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the use of a standard plug in private homes
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a limited driving range
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implications for the electric grid.
However, there are advantages of EVs, which include
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lowered noise pollution
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no GHG emissions and reduced environmental pollution
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lowered maintenance costs
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a decrease in the use of nonrenewable resources
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a reduced demand for fuel combustion engines.
A gasoline vehicle with no onboard electric load has an
electrification factor of 0%. When all vehicle functions,
including propulsion, are accomplished electrically, the
electrification factor is 100%. Most passenger cars on the
market today have an electrification factor in the single
digits. Hybrid vehicles started to bridge the gap between
0% and 100% electrification.
EVs need to get their power from an energy source.
Smart grids are an option. They provide an electricity network and control the supply and demand of power. To
successfully adopt EVs, an electric grid for charging stations must be constructed across the United States. The
built-out charging infrastructure will improve the mobility range, fuel efficiency, and environmental performance
of EVs.
Changing over from fossil fuel engines to electric
engines will contribute to clean and efficient transportation. Advancing battery technology and building a plug-in
battery station network will aid in moving toward a cleaner and more efficient transportation system. The capital
costs associated with building an electric grid for charging
stations will need to be paid by states, municipalities, cities, towns, and private entities.
Electricity is a domestically produced fuel that has the
potential to transform the transportation sector and
reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil. Advances in electric
technology and infrastructure can sustain transportation
applications. We have reached the point where electricity
can be used to fuel vehicles, bringing us into an era of
cleaner transportation.

EVs are expected to last longer than gasoline vehicles
due to reduced operating and maintenance costs. Gasoline engines rely on internal combustion engines, which
typically last for 100,000 to 150,000 miles. EVs could last
five times longer-500,000 to 700,000 miles-before they
need to be replaced.
According to Global EV Outlook, the following statistics
on EVs have been reported.
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In 2017, over 1 million electric cars were sold around
the world, which is a new record.
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The number of EVs in circulation worldwide has
exceeded 3 million, a 50% expansion from 2016.
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There are approximately 760,000 EVs on American
roads, along with a further 820,000 in Europe.
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EV sales are 1% of overall auto sales in the United States.
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For countries to meet the carbon-cutting targets set by
the Paris Agreement, 100 million EVs must be on the
road by 2030.
Unfortunately, EVs continue to be more expensive to
purchase than their gasoline vehicle equivalents, and
the build out of charging stations is sporadic and
inconsistent. According to Bloomberg, EVs are expected
to reach price parity with gasoline vehicles by 2025,
suggesting that over time EVs and autonomous EVs
will be competitively priced. Transitioning to EVs will
have the greatest environmental impact on the transportation sector.

Traffic Congestion
Multiple factors contribute to traffic congestion. It is a
highly complex problem with neither a clear, single root
cause to tackle nor a simple solution. There are two basic
causes: deficient roadway capacity (known as recurring
congestion) and traffic-influencing events (known as nonrecurring congestion) (see Figure 2).
According to the U.S. Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), about half of traffic congestion is caused by nonrecurring or temporary disruptions that close part of the
roadway from use. Nonrecurring events dramatically
reduce the available capacity and reliability of the entire
transportation system. The three main causes of nonrecurring congestion are

Transportation: 28%
Electricity: 28%
Industry: 22%
Agriculture: 9%
Commercial: 6%
Residential: 5%

Figure 1. 2016 U.S. GHG emissions by sector (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

IEEE Electrific ation Magazine / S EP T EM BE R 2 0 1 9

IEEE Electrification - September 2019

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