Small EV can act as productive use of energy catalysts for rural minigrids

Minigrids can power two and three-wheeled electric vehicles at a matching price with fossil-fuel alternatives.

This was the finding of an RMI Study, Powering Small-Format Electric Vehicles with Minigrids, which assessed the viability of two- and three-wheeled EVs using minigrids for charging, in a rural mobility setting.

A pilot programme was initiated in 2019 to test whether charging small electric vehicles at a minigrids in a rural setting would bolster the minigrid’s financial sustainability and allow the operator to recoup system costs at a lower electricity price for all customers. Through the project, partners deployed small-format EVs and charging infrastructure to test two business models in two geographies.