Impact of flexible and bidirectional charging in medium- and heavy-duty trucks on California’s decarbonization pathway

California has committed to ambitious decarbonization targets across multiple sectors, including decarbonizing the electrical grid by 2045. In addition, the medium- and heavy-duty truck fleets are expected to see rapid electrification over the next two decades. Considering these two pathways in tandem is critical for ensuring cost optimality and reliable power system operation. In particular, we examine the potential cost savings of electrical generation infrastructure by enabling flexible charging and bidirectional charging for these trucks. We also examine costs adjacent to enabling these services, such as charger upgrades and battery degradation. We deploy a large mixed-integer decarbonization planning model to quantify the costs associated with the electric generation decarbonization pathway. Example scenarios governing truck driving and charging behaviors are implemented to reveal the sensitivity of temporal driving patterns. Our experiments show that cost savings on the order of multiple billions of dollars are possible by enabling flexible and bidirectional charging in medium- and heavy-duty trucks in California. • A power system planning model including battery electric truck charging is developed. • Two scenarios are examined concerning the temporal distribution of truck charging. • Potential savings of smart charging are weighed against relevant expenditures.