2007 study on feasibility analysis and impacts of Plug-in hybrids (this is before the news of battery revolution)
Complete article here:
http://www.pnl.gov/energy/eed/etd/pdfs/phev_feasibility_analysis_combined.pdf
SUMMARY
The results of the technical potential analysis are listed below:
The existing electricity infrastructure as a national resource has sufficient available capacity to fuel up to 84% of the nation’s cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs (198 million) or about 73% of the light duty fleet (about 217 million vehicles) for a daily drive of 33 miles on average.
There are potentially significant emissions impacts if the gasoline-based LDV fleet were to transition to a PHEV technology. Greenhouse gases and some criteria emissions would be reduced based on total emission figures. Particulates emissions would increase as a result of increased dispatch of coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, the increased generation from coal power plants requires SO2 emission-reduction technologies to meet EPA regulations. There are also regional differences that depend upon the mix of coal and natural-gas-fired power plants. All emissions in urban areas are expected to improve because of the shifting of the emission sources from millions of individual vehicles in population centers to central generation plants that are traditionally located away from population centers.
A shift from gasoline to PHEVs could reduce the gasoline consumption by up to 6.5 MMBpd, which is equivalent to 52% of the U.S. petroleum imports.
Several other grid-related impacts are likely to emerge when adding a significant new load for charging PHEVs. Higher system loading could impact the overall system reliability when the entire infrastructure is used near its maximum capability for long periods. However, “Smart” PHEV charging systems that recognize grid conditions could mitigate the extent and severity of grid
Complete article here:
http://www.pnl.gov/energy/eed/etd/pdfs/phev_feasibility_analysis_combined.pdf
SUMMARY
The results of the technical potential analysis are listed below:
The existing electricity infrastructure as a national resource has sufficient available capacity to fuel up to 84% of the nation’s cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs (198 million) or about 73% of the light duty fleet (about 217 million vehicles) for a daily drive of 33 miles on average.
There are potentially significant emissions impacts if the gasoline-based LDV fleet were to transition to a PHEV technology. Greenhouse gases and some criteria emissions would be reduced based on total emission figures. Particulates emissions would increase as a result of increased dispatch of coal-fired power plants. Furthermore, the increased generation from coal power plants requires SO2 emission-reduction technologies to meet EPA regulations. There are also regional differences that depend upon the mix of coal and natural-gas-fired power plants. All emissions in urban areas are expected to improve because of the shifting of the emission sources from millions of individual vehicles in population centers to central generation plants that are traditionally located away from population centers.
A shift from gasoline to PHEVs could reduce the gasoline consumption by up to 6.5 MMBpd, which is equivalent to 52% of the U.S. petroleum imports.
Several other grid-related impacts are likely to emerge when adding a significant new load for charging PHEVs. Higher system loading could impact the overall system reliability when the entire infrastructure is used near its maximum capability for long periods. However, “Smart” PHEV charging systems that recognize grid conditions could mitigate the extent and severity of grid
