PERSPECTIVE A review on electric vehicles and their interaction with smart grids: the case of Brazil Ana Carolina Rodrigues Teixeira • Danilo Libe ´rio da Silva • Lauro de Vilhena Branda ˜o Machado Neto • Antonia Sonia Alves Cardoso Diniz • Jose ´ Ricardo Sodre ´ Received: 17 May 2014 / Accepted: 11 October 2014 Ó Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 Abstract This work provides a comprehensive literature review to evaluate the expected impacts of the introduction of electric vehicles into the power electric system with smart grid, examining the case of Brazil. Previous studies point out to different impact levels with the introduction of electric vehicles in the country’s electric grid, varying from small impacts for substitution of 10 % of the fleet, to potential difficulties if more than 20 % of the fleet is replaced. Electric vehicles offer significant advantages over their internal combustion engine powered vehicles coun- terparts, including the higher efficiency and performance of the electric motor, reduced pollution emissions during operation, and decreased noise levels. The current disad- vantages lie mainly with the higher vehicle and battery costs, relatively long battery-charging period required, limited battery lifetime, and the need to increase market availability. Brazil’s electricity generation capacity is pri- marily based on clean and renewable energy (hydropower, wind, biomass), providing the preferred approach to charge electric vehicles with minimal carbon and other pollutant emissions. With the introduction of smart grids in the country’s electricity distribution structure, electric vehicles also provide a pathway (with renewable energy options) toward cleaner electricity, leveling the power demand cycle, and lowering the need to add costly central station generation by integrating them into the grid itself during periods when they are not used for transportation. How- ever, careful studies must be conducted mainly due to the need to increase electric power generation to meet existing and imminent demands. Keywords Electric vehicle Á Smart grid Á Energy Introduction There is a growing concern about the environment and the possible impacts caused by industrialization and urbani- zation. One problem that has been observed over the years is air pollution, the main source being the automotive sector accounting for 48 % of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions in Brazil in 2012 (EPE 2013). Considering this scenario, there is a large incentive for research and development of cleaner technologies for automotive application. One possible solution is the partial substitution of fossil fuel powered vehicles by electric vehicles. Electric vehicles can have a significant impact on the reduction of greenhouse and pollutant gas emissions associated to the transportation sector. Each type of electric vehicle (hybrid electric, hybrid plug-in, fuel cell, or bat- tery-powered) has benefits and limitations, but all types allow for carbon dioxide and pollutant emission reduction. Amjad et al. (2010) point out that electric vehicles do not A. C. R. Teixeira Á L. V. B. Machado Neto Á A. S. A. C. Diniz Á J. R. Sodre ´(&) Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Av. Dom Jose ´ Gaspar, 500, Belo Horizonte, MG 30535-901, Brazil e-mail: ricardo@pucminas.br A. C. R. Teixeira e-mail: acrt88@hotmail.com L. V. B. Machado Neto e-mail: lvilhena@pucminas.br A. S. A. C. Diniz e-mail: asacd@pucminas.br D. L. da Silva Fiat Automo ´veis S.A., Costs Engineering – Electric and Electronics, Av. Contorno, 3455, Betim, MG 32699-900, Brazil e-mail: danilo.silva@fiat.com.br 123 Clean Techn Environ Policy DOI 10.1007/s10098-014-0865-x