Analyzing the impact of charger availability and power rates on electric vehicle charging load patterns

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging loads exhibit significant variability, influenced by infrastructure availability and power rate configurations. This study introduces a dynamic activity-based simulation model to analyze the effects of charger availability and power rates on EV charging load patterns. The model mimics EV charging behaviors across different locations—home, destination, and public charging stations — using real-life data while incorporating battery capacity variations and driver charging decisions. Results highlight charging availability as a pivotal factor in shaping load curves and grid efficiency. Expanding home charger coverage improves load factors and reduces peak loads without requiring higher power rates. Increase in both home and destination charger coverage levels from 5 % to 65 % trims the peak load by 28 %, lifts the load factor from 0.52 to 0.75, and halves the occurrence rate of outlier loads. Conversely, increasing power rates at public charging stations stabilizes load variations but exacerbates extreme loads. Increasing power rates by 50 %, without altering home/destination charger coverage, doubles the outlier load occurrences, increases peak load by 5 % and decreases the load factor by around 0.03. Higher EV battery capacities amplify outliers unless harmonized with appropriate power rate configurations. These findings emphasize the importance of balanced infrastructure investments and strategic power rate adjustments to ensure grid reliability and efficient EV integration. Overall, this study provides actionable insights for planners and grid operators to design robust, efficient, and future-proof EV charging infrastructure while ensuring grid stability in the face of rising EV penetration.