Evaluation of ground energy storage assisted electric vehicle DC fast charger for demand charge reduction and providing demand response

In 2012 there was approximately 2400 electric vehicle DC Fast Charging stations sold globally. According to Pike Research (Jerram and Gartner, 2012), it is anticipated that by 2020 there will be approximately 460,000 of them installed worldwide. A typical public DC fast charger delivers a maximum power output of 50 kW which allows a typical passenger vehicle to be 80% charged in 10–15 min, compared with 6–8 h for a 6.6 kW AC level 2 charging unit. While DC fast chargers offer users the convenience of being able to rapidly charge their vehicle, the unit's high power demand has the potential to put sudden strain on the electricity network, and incur significant demand charges.