5 Steps to Making Your EV As “Clean” As Possible

Electric vehicles (EVs) are already significantly better for the environment than their internal-combustion-engine counterparts. This is true across the country and especially in North Carolina. Our state ranks fifth in the U.S. in solar generation capacity, and as the grid gets cleaner, so will the fuel powering our EVs.

But if you want to go the extra (electric) mile, here are some tips to make your EV as clean as possible.

Drive it a lot.

Not driving any car is the most sustainable option, but when you need to drive, opt for your EV — even on road trips. The more miles you switch from non-electric to electric, the more you take advantage of emissions-free driving. And this helps you more quickly offset the environmental cost of the critical materials that went into manufacturing your EV’s battery.

Quick note: Even with the materials for battery manufacturing, your EV will be cleaner “from cradle to grave” within around two years of operation. Also, remember that non-EVs have plenty of critical material inputs in their manufacturing too.

If you have solar at home, charge in the middle of the day if you can, when the sun is shining.

While you may be “net metered” and receiving compensation from your utility for your solar generation, there are inefficiencies when those electrons are sent back to the grid to be used elsewhere. Using your solar power as electric fuel helps make the most of it. You can think of your EV as another battery that can be charged up with your solar generation.

Understand utility “peaks.”

This is the most important consideration for EV charging. To make sure that everyone has electricity when they need it, utilities build their generation facilities to meet our collective and simultaneous energy needs. These are the “rush-hour” windows of electricity use, typically early evenings in the summer and mornings in the winter.

Even if you’re not on a time-of-use rate that discounts energy use for certain periods of the day, the most environmental choice is to avoid charging during peak times. Almost all EVs have scheduling that allows you to defer charging, so you might plug in when arriving home from work but have the vehicle set to start charging later in the evening, when overall electricity demand is lower.

If we were to all charge our vehicles during peak windows, utilities would need to build more generation facilities to meet the additional demand. The facilities supporting peak demand are often known as “peaker plants,” and they’re usually burning fossil fuels to produce electricity.

Conversely, when we charge at off-peak hours, we better utilize existing infrastructure, which can put downward pressure on electricity rates for all customers — the most costly aspect of electricity generation is the construction of a facility. Once a site is operational, we want to take advantage of the low-use times. This is especially true if the utility knows that you’re likely to choose charging overnight. Consider signing up for EV-specific time-of-use rates that incentivize off-peak use. Duke Energy’s EV Overnight Advantage Option is a new pilot rate that provides a 50% discount for energy consumed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Save the fast charging for when you really need it.

DC fast charging is a critical part of the transition to electric driving, and using it is still more advantageous than driving a gasoline vehicle. However, fast charging has a heavier environmental footprint than charging at home or in public with Level 2 chargers because its electrical loads are significantly greater. Stations with the potential to provide 150 or 350 kilowatts, even for short periods, can be more taxing on our electric system. If there are opportunities to charge at lower speeds overnight or at work, opt for those rather than DC fast charging.

Consider the rest of your behavior and electricity usage.

To the grid, all load is equal, so limiting (where possible) your usage during peak times is impactful. Try to avoid running your dryer or AC as much during these windows. Better yet, you can dry your clothes with solar power by hanging them outside on sunny days!