California: Car charging discouraged at certain times

A heatwave shakes California, advising reduced electricity consumption, including charging electric vehicles. Soon in France?

The summer heatwave is already over, but not for the West Coast of the United States. California is particularly experiencing a new week-long heatwave: 37°C in Los Angeles, 42°C in Las Vegas, and peaks over 51°C in Death Valley. As a result, there is intensive air conditioning use and an overloaded electric grid, further weakened by drought conditions. The state produces less hydroelectric power due to the shutdown of certain plants, according to Governor Gavin Newsom.

Strict conservation during the heatwave

The state has issued a “Flex Alert” since August 31 to prevent power outages. This measure includes a series of tips to avoid using certain appliances during specific times of the day. Californians are urged to practice energy-saving measures between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., whether at home or at work. Priority recommendations include setting thermostats to a minimum of 78°F (25.5°C), avoiding high-energy appliances like washing machines, and turning off all unnecessary lights.

California also recommends “avoiding charging electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles during the Flex Alert.” But only during peak hours, and suggests charging at night at home instead.

California is indeed a pioneer in the United States. The state led the adoption of the Toyota Prius hybrid in the country in the 1990s, and its local electric car manufacturer Tesla is extremely popular there. Overall, electric vehicles represented 15% of the market in early 2022 (compared to 9.2% in 2021). The best-selling model across all powertrain types is the Tesla Model Y, with 42,320 units sold.

California’s ambitions are also stronger than the national average when it comes to transportation. Like in Europe, sales of combustion-engine vehicles will end in 2035.

Not charging your car at certain hours in France, soon a reality?

In recent years, RTE claimed that the transition of the automobile fleet to electric would not pose a problem. But in recent months, concerns about electricity production in France have grown. Not only is renewable energy development insufficient, but many nuclear reactors are also offline for maintenance or refurbishment.

The government might therefore implement measures, even unpopular ones like cutting power in certain neighborhoods for two hours. Like California, could France advise or even ban charging at certain times of the day? Unthinkable a few years ago, it’s now on the table.

Also read: Allego: charging prices will rise in September