The frequency of charging plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) has a significant impact on their emissions. Charging more often allows PHEVs to drive a greater proportion of their miles in electric mode, which reduces the use of gasoline and lowers overall carbon emissions.
- When a PHEV with a 50-mile all-electric range (AER) is charged every drive day, it offsets about 37% of the carbon emissions compared to an equivalent conventional vehicle. If the charging frequency drops to once every two days (0.5 frequency), it still offsets around 31% of emissions. This shows that even less frequent charging provides substantial emissions benefits, but more frequent charging increases these benefits.
- The availability and use of faster charging (Level 2) and workplace charging enable PHEV drivers to charge more frequently. This leads to more miles driven in electric mode and fewer miles using gasoline. In contrast, less frequent charging results in more gasoline miles and higher emissions.
- Real-world data from Germany indicates PHEV users charge about three out of four driving days on average, highlighting that PHEVs are often not charged daily, which impacts their electric driving proportion and emissions.
- However, increased charging loads also increase power generation emissions such as SO2 and CO2 depending on the electricity grid’s carbon intensity. Still, flexible charging that shifts demand to more efficient generators can reduce NOx emissions. Hence, emissions from charging depend on both charging frequency and the emissions profile of the electricity grid.
- In summary, higher charging frequency enables PHEVs to maximize electric driving, thereby reducing gasoline use and carbon emissions. Less frequent charging reduces these benefits but still provides some emissions offset compared to conventional vehicles. The overall emissions impact also depends on the carbon intensity of the electricity used for charging.
Thus, to minimize emissions, PHEV owners should charge as frequently as possible within their driving patterns and use cleaner grid electricity when available.
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