An empirical analysis of electric vehicle charging behavior based on real Danish residential charging data

In the last two years there has been a significant increase in the global adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). Particularly in Denmark, 40% of new vehicle registrations in 2023 were electric, marking a notable shift towards e-mobility. As a result, EV loading begins to constitute a large part of residential electricity demand. The concurrent increase in the interest for reduction in charging costs via demand response leads to a growing need for better understanding of charging behavior and its impact on consumption profiles. This works addresses the lack of up-to-date large-scale empirical studies on residential EV charging behavior. It presents a thorough analysis of all important charging characteristics based on a large set of 5534 Danish residential chargers between 2021 and 2023, providing unique insight in the effect of user-induced controlled charging. Our analysis shows the difference between actual charging profiles and those commonly used by distribution system operators in Denmark, and reveals the significant change over the span of one year with the doubling of peak demand per charger from 1.25 kW to 2.5 kW. • Up to date (2021–2023) analysis of residential EV charging data in Denmark. • Data from 5534 residential EV chargers. • Behavioral analysis of real smart charging usage. • Analysis of all main charging characteristics and their evolution.