A Statistical Analysis of EV Charging Behavior in the UK

To truly quantify the impact of electric vehicles (EVs) on the electricity network and their potential interactions in the context of Smart Grids, it is crucial to understand their charging behavior. However, as EVs are yet to be widely adopted, these data are scarce. This work presents results of a thorough statistical analysis of the charging behavior of 221 real residential EV users (Nissan LEAF, i.e., 24kWh, 3.6 kW) spread across the UK and monitored over one year (68,000+ samples). Probability distribution functions (PDFs) of different charging features (e.g., start charging time) are produced for both weekdays and weekends. Crucially, these unique PDFs can be used to create stochastic, realistic and detailed EV profiles to carry out impact and/or Smart Grid-related studies. Finally, the effects of the EV demand on future UK distribution networks are discussed.