TED Data Visualizations: How We Drive & Charge EVs

March 1, 2011

With electric vehicles epitomizing the intersection of technology and design, it’s only fitting that they’re top of mind at the latest TED conference. Among the technologies on display at GE’s installation at TED (which stands for “Technology, Entertainment and Design”), is the ecomagination WattStation EV charger, which was designed by Yves Behar, and an array of data visualizations that showcase information on a range of energy and environmental topics. The ones below take a closer look at driving and charging habits — and how a new EV world can take them into account as it evolves.

As you can see in the first one, mapping EV driver behavior can help identify opportunities for increasing grid efficiency. For example, most EV charging — shown in green bars — is done when there are other demands on the grid. The blue area shows a rough average of when utilities have the greatest excess capacity. Smart charging can take advantage of the gap and charge an EV when demand is at its lowest.

Click to enlarge: If your icon does not let you enlarge further, use the “view” option in your browser’s menu to zoom. The visualizations are from Visualizing.org, the global open data visualization hub created by GE and Seed Media Group. EV graphics are by Ryan Wolfe.

The next graphic illustrates what most of us know to be true: that on average, the further you are away from a city center, the more you drive. But, that obvious fact is of great importance when decisions are made about which type of EV to buy, as those living close to city centers may not need the extended range offered by hybrids.

Click to enlarge.

And this image points out that over 50 percent of all U.S. household trips are under six miles, which makes so-called “range anxiety” — which is the worry that your car will run out of its charge – less of a concern for a great number of drivers.

Click to enlarge.

* See our infographics that explain EV terms
* Read more TED stories on GE Reports

Larry Fisher

The first chart is extremely misleading. It implies (“How We Drive: EV Usage Patterns) to illustrate data based on the usage patterns of EV drivers, when it’s based on a 2009 report that is based on 2008 data, when there were few (if any) electric cars in use in the US, and so few EV drivers. Are early adopters representative of the way the general public will use an EV? Time will tell.

Also, don’t discount “so-called ‘range anxiety.’” Just because I make many short trips doesn’t mean my concern over making longer trips successfully will be reduced. While it may not be a factor in the many short trips a consumer makes, any trip of substance, like a commute to work that hits traffic snarls, will result in consumer agitation and concern over whether they’ll make it to their destination, and how they will charge sufficiently to make it home.
D. James

I notice that you have not factored in weight. The performance of an EV falls off drastically as thw eight is increased. Hybrids are a better option. Check out this entry at the GE Ecomagination challenge 2011
http://challenge.ecomagination.com/home/A-dual-use-power-co-generation-concept
The engine can be used both to run cars and to power a home
mike johnson

I wondered what the possibility would be of adding a solar charging capability to the existing WattStation EV Charger? This would further reduce demand on the grid, especially at peak power usage times. The Sun also gives the greatest light during our peak usage time, so it would seem to be a win/win. It may be added cost up front, yet if electric vehicles are the wave of the future the payoff would not take that long.
James Hoffman

@ Mike Johnson
You would need a TON of panels to have much of an affect. These cars (EV’s) pull several kilowatts when in operation. (Just think of the hp your car motor produces and convert it to kW for a ballpark, EV’s still need a lot of power). In order to charge quickly, you also need a lot of power which current tech solar panels (maybe 10% efficient on common consumer models) just can’t provide. Assume on a bright day solar incidence is 800 w/m^2, you will need a lot of coverage to make a dent if only 10% of that can be captured.

That being said, improvements to solar tech are made everyday. Perhaps in the future this may be something viable.
Another possibility would be a “trickle charge,” that is if you didn’t need the car charged fully any time soon, but just wanted to use solar while it was available to do what it could.
Narayanan U M

Here’s another possible deterrent we need to tackle for easier adoption EVs:
Just because the average house-trips are under six miles does not mean that people might switch to EVs easily. The six-mile theory will hold good for week-day trips. Most households do long drives during weekends, and the average household does consider this while buying their car. Given this scenario, either one has to have a second vehicle that’s an EV (consider the affordability), or one should have attractive options with renting gas/hybrid vehicles or use public transportation for long drives.
Bilal

It is better to use the Wireless WattStation EV charger + Solar technology on the roof? It is my idea.