Efficiency must stay at the forefront of US electrification

The Biden Administration’s impact on electrification both at home in the US and globally has been significant. Nonetheless, there are some big challenges on the horizon, including the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House in 2025—a 9 May 2024 Washington Post article alleges that he plans to reverse key environmental policies—and a consumer demand slump.

Decelerating electric vehicle (EV) uptake in particular has the US industry thinking increasingly in the near term: Ford and GM are delaying their all-electric line-up plans to capitalise on resurgent hybrid sales. However, the underlying factors preventing EVs from achieving national mainstream success—affordability and reliable infrastructure—need long-term thinking to resolve.

An April 2024 whitepaper by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) argues that focusing on EV efficiency today will pay dividends tomorrow. Geoffrey Blanford, Senior Technical Executive at EPRI, informs Automotive World that this includes battery size and vehicle supply chains but especially the grid. “Transport electrification will be the single largest new load coming onto the system. Therefore, improvements to reduce that load are our greatest opportunity.”