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SpatialNews Press Release
GIS Helps to Get Electric Vehicles on the Road
Redlands, California-ESRI today announced the successful deployment of ArcView GIS for
modeling battery usage, routing, and other applications for its electro-driven technologies
program.
Current electro-drive technologies hold the key to future freedoms from more energy-
dependent resources and give consumers an alternative choice for their energy
consumption. The future looks bright, but there are still challenges to be met and goals to
be attained, and geographic information system (GIS) technology is helping to get there.
One of the most mature users of GIS technology, dating back to 1982, is Southern
California Edison Company (SCE). SCE’s robust GIS lab is helping get electric vehicles
(EVs) out on the road. ArcView GIS, ArcView Spatial Analyst, and ArcView Network
Analyst are used for many diverse applications, such as: EV trip planning to determine
the battery state-of-charge along a specified route; route planning for electric buses; and
what effect the charging of electro-drive technologies will have on the utilities electric
system. With over 300 Evs in SCE’s fleet, this GIS program has been very useful in
determining EV utilization within various departments, primarily meter reading,
throughout the company.
SCE GIS also is developing an application for electric bus routing and modeling.
While electric vehicles offer a new solution for transportation, bus routes provide a
means for getting people off congested highways and into clean, efficient electric-
powered buses. SCE GIS feels this route analysis tool could be utilized by other
agencies.
While battery usage and routing are crucial applications to EV success, just as
important is the overall effect that EVs will have on the utilities electricity grid. SCE is
using GIS to calculate how electricity demand will impact current infrastructure.
“We know EVs will have some impact on the grid in a planning sense,” says Mike
Hanna, GIS analyst, Southern California Edison. “We need to know where EVs will
impact our current infrastructure. Without this type of analysis, we can ensure our electric
system operates at maximum efficiency.”
SCE’s current GIS success in the EV arena will bolster arguments regarding future
application development and innovation. “We’re looking at the possibility of using
ArcIMS for our Internet needs,” adds Hanna. “As needs arise, we’ll look at the best ways
of meeting those needs, and GIS will play a part.”
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