Assessing the Impact of Smart Charging Electric Vehicles in the Future German Energy System

The system's flexibility is crucial for the German energy transition with an increasing share of renewable energy sources. Smart charging electric vehicles (smart EVs) can be an option to provide this flexibility. This study compares different electric flexibility options in the European energy system, focusing on smart EVs, through several sensitivity studies. We identify key parameters for smart EVs, such as the plug-in probability, and create a scenario framework with various sensitivity studies to analyze the impact of parameter uncertainties. The scenarios show that smart EVs are a promising flexibility technology for the energy system and can be one of the most cost-effective flexibility options under the right regulatory and user-specific conditions. However, as the integration of smart EVs and thus the impact on the energy system varies greatly, creating realistic estimates for smart EV parametrization, such as plug-in probability and maximal charging power, is essential. Restricting the availability of smart charging through these parameters leads to an increasing utilization of other flexibility options such as batteries, electrolysis, and power-to-heat.