E-mobility, on the verge of breakthrough, might pose challenge to German power distribution grids

Advantageous regulations, decreasing overall costs, a wider offer of different models and increased demand mean that e-mobility is on the verge of breakthrough in Germany, according to consultancy McKinsey. Similar to the developments in the solar PV industry, falling battery prices could mean that total costs for electric cars will be lower than those of conventional cars by the mid-2020s, McKinsey writes in a special report for the company’s bi-annual Energiewende-Index report. An increase in e-cars, however, could lead to “massive bottlenecks” in power distribution grids, the authors of the special report write in a separate article for energy magazine Energiewirtschaftliche Tagesfragen.

Find the press release in German here, the index results here and the article in German here.

For background, read the CLEW factsheet Sector coupling - Shaping an integrated renewable energy system.