Characterization of prospective charging locations of plug-in vehicles using real-world driving data

Aggregated vehicular charging load at locations with potentially numerous parking events such as major shopping centers can cause significant operational issues for the grid. Characterization of parking events in such locations can address the forecast of vehicular charging load in the upgrading of the grid in preparation of this load. This paper presents a statistical analysis of real-world driving data for the city of Winnipeg in Canada for parking events in two major commercial centers. Three significant parameters affecting vehicular load estimation, namely parking time and duration as well as before-mileage, are discussed. Comparison of the results of the two places shows some level of similarity between the characteristics of their parking events. The results are useful in characterization of the charging load and can be used in planning and sizing of the charging stations and the extent of fortifications that may be needed in the feeding distribution networks.