EV Drivers in the Driver’s Seat
The batteries of electric vehicles have the potential to ease the burden on the power grid through smart charging, but what is needed to motivate EV owners to become active participants in a flexible energy system?
Cajsa Bartusch Kätting from the Division of Industrial Engineering and her research group have received funding from the Swedish Energy Agency for the project "EV Drivers in the Driver’s Seat – Smart Charging from a User Perspective." The project aims to develop and test technologies and tariffs for public smart and bidirectional charging, including a mobile application. Testing will take place in a lab environment, at Uppsala University’s charging stations, and in a mobility hub featuring smart charging stations, solar panels, and energy storage.
The research is conducted in collaboration with Uppsala University, RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, STUNS, Uppsala Parkering AB, and Charge Node Europe AB. The goal is to understand the economic, legal, and social factors influencing EV drivers’ willingness to participate in smart charging. The project employs user-centered design and a multidisciplinary approach. Its aim is to advance EV drivers’ role as providers of flexibility in local energy grids.