IEEE Electrification Magazine - June 2014 - 8

sip energy, produce comparatively little emissions, and
offer a feasible option for replacing petroleum-fueled vehicles and pushing down greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions.
high sticker prices, however, along with short electrified
driving ranges and relatively long recharging times, mean
that all types of electric-drive vehicles still only command
3% of the light-duty market, with the vast majority consisting of hybrid models.
combining Pevs with clean electricity generated from
renewable sources, such as solar photovoltaic arrays and
wind turbines, offers the greatest near-term potential for netzero energy transportation. today, approximately 12% of

electricity comes from renewable sources, but the variable
nature of the wind and sun may pose operational challenges.
v2G technology makes it possible to store energy in and
source energy from vehicle batteries to balance intermittent renewable resources, enhance grid stability, and/or
reduce demand for costly grid-fed electricity at peak hours.
Breakthroughs in connectivity among vehicles, the grid,
and other infrastructure will allow the transportation system of the future to use dramatically less fossil fuel and significantly cut GhG emissions while also addressing grid
demand and electric vehicle consumer adoption issues.
electric vehicle technology has been around for a
century now. While Pevs could still benefit from technological refinement, particularly in the areas of energy
storage and power electronics, the interface between
car, charging station, and grid provides another key to
putting more of these vehicles on the road.

Bumps in the Road:
Barriers to Consumer Adoption

A sustainable transportation future will rely on multiple solutions,
including innovative systems connecting vehicles, utilities, renewable
energy sources, and buildings. (Illustration by Josh Bauer/NREL.)

V2G technology makes it possible to compensate for the intermittent
nature of renewable resources, such as wind power. (Image by Raymond David/NREL.)

I E E E E l e c t r i f i c ati o n M agaz ine / j un e 2014

in the last five years, the number of electric-drive vehicle
models has jumped from three to 23, including fully electric Pevs. hevs have become increasingly affordable and
can now be found on roads across the country. and
although Pevs currently command an even smaller
share of the automotive market than electric-drive vehicles as a whole-less than 1%-they continue to grow in
popularity. Despite all of this, multiple barriers remain in
making electric-drive vehicles truly competitive with
conventional vehicles.
sticker prices may have dropped, but buyers still pay a
premium for electric vehicles. hevs and Pevs are typically
Us$3,000-Us$12,000 more expensive than comparable
conventional vehicles. But noncost factors-including
Pevs' relatively short electrified driving range, long
recharge times, and limited recharging station
availability-combined with consumer unfamiliarity with
vehicle options might present even greater impediments
to deployment.
how do people want to use these vehicles? that's the
real question. consumers need to be confident that the

With the Wind-to-Hydrogen Project, NREL is able to create fuel completely from renewable energy to power hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.
(Photo by Chris Ainscough, NREL.)

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Electrification Magazine - June 2014