Evaluating the Energy Consumption of Battery Electric Vehicles Under a Diverse and Changing Climate

Abstract

Passenger vehicles contribute considerably to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are one form of climate change mitigation through their higher efficiency compared to internal combustion engine vehicles as well as their use of electricity, which has potential to be less carbon intensive than fossil fuels. However, passenger vehicle energy consumption is affected by operating conditions provided by weather and climate variability.This thesis presents a review of known relationships between climate variables and passenger vehicle energy consumption, with an emphasis on BEVs. The impacts of rising global temperatures on passenger vehicle energy consumption in North America is also estimated. Finally, the impacts of BEV charging on electricity demand and peak demand were estimated for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area while taking ambient temperature into account. The results illustrate the importance of taking climate and climate change into account when conducting BEV impact analyses.