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NETWORK / 14 / MARCH 2017 technologies Electric vehicles The energy system implications of rising numbers of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads should not be underestimated. Figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders show there are almost 70,000 plug-in electrical vehicles registered in the UK and this number is expected to rocket in the next three years. For electricity distribution companies this poses a serious challenge. The additional load already added by charging EVs is beginning to have a noticeable influence on network operation, especially in areas where early technology adopters have "clustered". As uptake continues, this strain on network resilience will become more significant – but is difficult to forecast precisely because there is limited understanding about what demand patterns for EV charging will look like. So much relies on the way charging infrastructure is rolled out and on the tariff mechanisms brought to market for topping up and discharging the energy in EV batteries. The gravity with which DNOs view this challenge is reflected in the investments being made in major innovation and demonstration projects. One of the most ambitious has been SSE Networks' My Electric Avenue scheme. This successfully trialled a smart charging technology called Espirit which, say project partners, could save networks around £2.2 billion in reinforcement costs. Now, other projects are taking these learnings forward and building a more detailed picture of the potential EV impact. UK Power Networks has partnered with London councils to convert lampposts into smart charging points. But the biggest new UK innovation scheme focussed on EVs is Western Power Distribution's Electric Nation project. Said to be the largest EV trial so far conducted, worldwide, the scheme aims to engage between 500-800 EV drivers. The £5.8 million project will collate details – about vehicles and their owners' energy use behaviours – to create a detailed low voltage planning tool. "The tool will convert that information directly into electrical requirements – how many kilowatts are needed at different times," explains Roger Hey, WPD's future networks manager.