Smart charging optimizes electrical vehicle charging by adjusting timing and power based on price signals reflecting for example when grid capacity can be used or when renewable energy is available. With optimised charging of EVs, power grids can be used in a more cost-efficient way, that can save grid investment costs and accelerate the adoption of transportation electrification.

Savings from smart charging electric cars and trucks in Europe: A case study for France in 2040, is part of a global project by the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP) and the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) studying the economic and environmental benefits of deploying smart EV charging in specific geographies. The study quantifies savings from smart EV charging and illustrates how these savings may be achieved. RAP and ICCT, consulted with Artelys to analyse a mixed EV fleet, (composed of electric passenger cars and trucks) in the French region of Essonne, south of Paris. With its mix of urban and rural infrastructure, Essonne serves as a model for many European grids.

The study demonstrates that EVs, when optimally integrated into power grids, reduce costs for users, the grid and the environment. The resulting policy recommendations, though derived from the French case, apply more broadly to enhancing smart EV charging in the European policy context.