Estimating the PHEV potential in Sweden using GPS derived movement patterns for representative privately driven cars

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) can be used to substitute a major share of fossil fuels in car transport by using electricity from the grid. Earlier studies have shown that the battery design and economic viability of the PHEV is highly dependent on the individual car movement pattern and charging options. Here we investigate the battery design, viability and potential for PHEVs in Sweden utilizing a recently available new data set for car movements in which 214 privately driven cars were logged with GPS for 30 days or more. The cars are based in south west of Sweden in a region that is fairly representative for Swedish driving patterns.On large the study’s confirms earlier results from [1] by showing that in a situation where the economic viability of PHEVs is good due to for instance low cost of batteries there will be a wide range in the optimal battery size dependent on the individual movement pattern. For less favourable economic conditions the resulting economic competitiveness of the PHEV and the potential to replace fossil fuels will be much dependent on the possibilities to frequently charge the battery. Improving charging options can thus be an important complement to reducing battery costs for facilitating PHEVs in an introduction phase