Abstract:

In this first-of-its-kind study for the Colorado Energy Office, RMI performed a comparative analysis of three proposed tariffs that are specifically designed to meet the needs of the unique type of load presented by DC fast chargers (DCFCs) for electric vehicles. The objective of the study was to understand the costs that the chargers might impose on operators of public high-speed EV-charging networks in Colorado, and the utility revenues that will result from them. The key criterion by which we judged the three tariffs was the cost per mile of range delivered to the vehicle, assuming an energy efficiency of 3.4 miles per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This project modeled the cost of service for DCFC charging stations over a period of 10 years using different parameters related to tariff, load, and utilisation rates on public DCFCs.