Impact of Evolving EV Charging Profiles on Distribution Grid Reinforcement: A Case Study

The number of Electric Vehicles (EVs) is rapidly growing in several parts of the world and particular in Scandinavia. A large share of the EV chargers are expected to get connected to the distribution grid. This together with the ongoing electrification of other consumption, e.g. heating, will likely require grid reinforcement. Distribution System Operators need to consider the impact of EV charging in their grid planning. Contrary to conventional consumption, EV charging patterns are highly dependent on consumer behaviours and preferences. Hence, technical developments and behavioural changes may impact grid reinforcement needs. In a Danish case study, it is investigated how the evolution of EV charging impacts reinforcement needs. Furthermore, a generic and transparent framework to determine reinforcement needs of the distribution grid is presented. The case study is based on actual distribution grid data and EV charging data from the UK from 2017 and Denmark from 2023. The results show that the grid reinforcement needs are greatly impacted by the evolution of EV charging profiles.