A strategy to Enhance Electric Vehicle Penetration Level in India

In wake of the very recent initiative by the Indian government under the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicle (FAME) scheme 2015, to provide subsidies for electric vehicle purchase, the cost difference between electric vehicle and conventional diesel vehicle is bridged to an extent. This paper attempts to provide strategies to increase the cost advantage of Electric vehicles by reducing its payback period by exploring possibility of vehicle to home(V2H) scheme and thus to increase the willingness to pay (WTP) of the customer. The biggest beneficiary of this scheme will be the Indian power grid. This scheme will enable capacity enhancement during peak load hours in the Indian scenario utilizing the stored energy available in the electric vehicle using V2H system. Electric vehicle can be used as a storage methodology i.e. when electric vehicles are parked and connected to a charger, it acts as a storage space for electrical energy. An Indian 11kV distribution network is used to conduct the case study, to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed concept for reducing peak demand. The hypothesis presented by the author is specific for a State, nevertheless these findings are heterogeneous enough across the country and this can significantly increase social benefits for the whole nation. Overall results indicate that implementation of V2H can go a long way in addressing two of the present major technological problems of cost disadvantage of electric vehicle and peak levelling of Indian power grid by identifying and exploring potential cost benefit avenues to reduce the payback period of EV's and thereby making them a technology of our everyday life rather than an idealistic plan of a distant future. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd.