Battery electric vehicles in low voltage grids - Modelling and simulation of batteries within the system

Battery electric vehicles are discussed as a solution for future environmental and transportation problems. The storage technology mostly discussed is lithium-ion due to its high energy density and its high cycle and calendar life times. First the different kinds of available lithium-ion batteries are described. The electrode materials are discussed in detail while for the electrolytes they are just briefly mentioned. The main focus will be to model the batteries in the two system environments - the car and the low voltage grid. Detailed descriptions of the battery pack model, the components of the low voltage grid and driving profiles are given. Simulation results will give a first idea of the impacts of different operating strategies: first operation only for transportation, second as storage during times of high renewable energy production and third operation also for storing renewable energy for feeding back energy in times with high demand in low voltage grids. The results show a need for intelligent operating strategies, while showing that the use of the vehicles as storages for renewable energies can be problematic due to ageing effects.