Electric Vehicle Infrastructure

Are time-of-use (TOU) rates good or bad for the electric grid? While TOU rates aim to reduce system-wide peaks, they can increase grid stress and costs under many current designs—especially with the rapid growth of #electricvehicles and #electrification. Here’s why: Residential TOU peak periods typically end around 7-9 pm (survey of 30 large utilities). Many EV owners start charging immediately after off-peak rates begin, but these periods are based on system-wide loads, not local distribution peaks. Now, picture a neighborhood with 10 homes on a shared transformer, where 5+ homes have EVs. With each EV drawing around 7 kW, the load can more than double each household's load. The result? Transformer failures are the first sign of strain. As electrification grows, the stress will extend to feeders, substations, and beyond. So, should we abandon TOU rates? Regulators favor them because they shift load off-peak, are low cost, and are backed by historical results. But the more compliance, the more severe the local #grid stress. Another challenge: shifting peak periods. As #renewables like #solar and #wind expand and grid-scale #batteries become common, peak times are moving. California’s "duck curve" shows demand now shifting to different parts of the day. We now need to encourage EV charging mid-day in solar-rich areas! Constantly re-educating consumers on changing peak/off-peak times is impractical. What’s the fix? OPTION 1: Move off-peak to midnight. Some utilities now start off-peak for EVs at midnight when household demand is low, reducing but not solving the surge problem. OPTION 2: Stagger TOU start times. Spreading start times across households could ease local strain but is complex and unpopular with regulators. OPTION 3: Adopt dynamic solutions. The best option for now is managed EV charging (until we get #V2G). Customers set a "ready by" time (e.g., morning), and utilities optimize charging based on battery status, grid conditions, and costs. This keeps costs low for both consumers and the grid and the consumer gets a full charge without any intervention. 3A: Whole house vs. EV specific rates? Different appliances have different characteristics, time-based value, and needs. I think it makes sense to treat EV pricing separately that the other appliances in the house, just like we do for solar rooftop. While dynamic solutions like managed charging are the future, a mix of pricing options is essential. No single approach will work for every customer or address the grid’s evolving needs. Your thoughts? P.S. I've included a link to a longer PLMA (@PLMAflm) discussion about electricity pricing that includes ideas from myself and Ahmad Faruqui. #energy #utilities #gridmanagement #TOU #EVcharging #tesla #rivian #electricvehicles

🔌 Reimagining EV Charging: Eaton + ChargePoint’s DC Microgrid Breakthrough ⚡ Big news from the RE+ trade show: Eaton and ChargePoint have unveiled a modular DC microgrid architecture that could redefine how we scale EV charging—especially for high-power commercial fleets. This isn’t just another charger. It’s a strategic shift. 🚚 Why it matters: - Traditional EVSEs often convert AC to DC inside each unit—adding bulk, heat, and inefficiency. - Eaton’s DC microgrid centralizes this conversion, streamlining infrastructure and enabling smaller, cooler, and more efficient DC fast chargers. - For megawatt-level charging (think Tesla Semi), this setup shields the main grid from sudden load spikes, handling peak demand locally. - Fewer conversion stages = less heat, less cooling fan operation, and lower particulate matter (PM) emissions around stations. 🏙️ Benefits across the board: - States & Utilities: Reduced grid stress, faster deployment, and better integration with renewables and energy markets. - Consumers: More reliable, cost-effective charging with lower environmental impact. - Organizations: Lower capex, smaller footprint, and up to 30% reduction in operational costs. This is a textbook example of how thoughtful engineering meets strategic electrification. It’s not just about charging faster—it’s about charging smarter. Source: https://lnkd.in/dureBYBD #EVCharging #DCMicrogrid #FleetElectrification #CleanTech #ChargePoint #Eaton #EnergyTransition #BatteryTech #MegawattCharging #EVInfrastructure #V2X #PMReduction #EVStrategy

We didn’t start WeaveGrid to build just another EV software or load management company. ⚡ 📉 From day one, we focused on a specific challenge: how to help utilities manage the strain EVs uniquely place on the distribution grid. 📈 It was clear even in the early days that EVs would create a new kind of load—one that doesn’t follow predictable patterns, arrives faster than planners expect, and can silently overwhelm local infrastructure. Transformers weren’t designed for this. Traditional planning tools weren’t either. That’s why we built software like DISCO—to help utilities:  Identify EV-driven overload risk early • Anticipate where clustered EVs create risk • Align charging with local grid capacity • Buy time to make smarter, more targeted infrastructure investments We’re not replacing infrastructure. We’re helping utilities invest in it more strategically—and giving them the digital tools to adapt as EV adoption scales. We break this down in our latest Utility Dive op-ed. If you’re thinking about rate pressures, capital planning, or grid modernization filings, I’d encourage you to take a look. 📖 Link in the comments.

Peak demand is the most expensive problem in electricity. A 15-minute DC fast charge can create a demand spike exceeding 1 MW per vehicle, requiring oversized transformers and stranded distribution assets. These short-duration, high-amplitude peaks lower asset utilization and force utilities into costly overbuilds. The spike isn't the only part of the issue. We also have to consider the human behavior behind fast charging. When people fast charge, it’s usually because they’re in the middle of a trip or scrambling to recover from forgetting to plug in. In those moments, they’re inflexible. They need energy right now. That urgency means utilities can’t shift the load. At home, the opposite is true. Whether your car fills at 9 p.m. or 11 p.m. doesn’t matter... as long as it’s ready by morning. That flexibility is gold for utilities. It allows charging to be spread out, shifted to off-peak hours, and harmonized with other loads. That’s why a distributed, low-power Level 2 model produces a long-dwell, low-amplitude load curve. The aggregate effect is a flatter, more predictable demand profile: - Loads are shifted into overnight off-peak periods - Transformer capacity is preserved by spreading kWh delivery over time - Distribution utilization improves, increasing ROI on existing assets When deployed in multifamily properties (dense clusters of vehicles colocated near commercial load centers), this model supports local grid balancing without requiring new generation. The outcome is a rare alignment: Utilities reduce capital costs, property owners provide charging at scale, and EV drivers gain convenience. This isn’t about “slow vs. fast charging.” It’s about aligning charging profiles with utility economic models. #EnergyManagement #UtilityEconomics #EVInfrastructure

Too many EV charging contracts are written for the supplier, not the site owner. That’s the part no one tells you. A shiny new charger on your site feels like progress. But what you’re actually signing up for is a 5–10 year business model. And there are three of them: 1. Free install, supplier-owned No upfront cost. No control either. You don’t set pricing. You don’t get usage data. You don’t even get a say in how it's maintained. 2. Revenue share, hybrid Better on paper - until you hit the platform limits. Locked-in pricing. Hardware you can’t upgrade. Commercial terms that don’t scale with your business. 3. Full ownership, full control More investment upfront. But full say over how you run it, who uses it, and how it evolves. It’s the only model that keeps you adaptable. We’ve seen clients forced to rip out chargers three years in. Not because the tech failed - but because the model did. EV infrastructure isn’t a hardware decision. It’s a strategy decision. And if you're not thinking about long-term control, you're not thinking far enough ahead.

When we first started this company, I underestimated how complex EV charging site selection really is. At a glance, it seems simple: pick a high-traffic area, install some chargers, and let demand take care of the rest. But the data told a very different story. Here’s what became obvious pretty quickly: - You need over 50,000 vehicles per day on highways just to break even - Charging speed has to match how long people stay: fast charging works at grocery stores, but not at office parks - And strong traffic alone isn’t enough: high demand charges can wipe out profits What changed things for us, and for the operators we work with, was taking a systematic approach. The best-performing networks don’t rely on gut feel. They use layered scorecards that weigh: Traffic volume and direction -> EV adoption now and in the future -> Access to places where drivers actually want to spend time -> Existing electrical capacity (and the cost of upgrades) -> How close the nearest charger is The grid piece is the one most people miss. We’ve seen perfect-looking sites fall apart because the utility couldn’t deliver enough power without major infrastructure upgrades. On the flip side, locations with existing high-voltage service, like big-box retail centers, often fly under the radar but end up being gold. And coverage planning matters just as much. You're not just chasing demand, you’re filling in the map. That’s why NEVI focuses on spacing, not just density. Put a station too close to an existing one, and you risk underperformance. We’ve learned that site selection isn’t about intuition. It’s about turning a messy set of variables into clear, repeatable decisions. If you’re making long-term bets on charging infrastructure, what data do you rely on most?

Where you live impacts how you charge, especially in the geographically diverse United States, Mexico, and Canada. One thing we don't talk about enough in North American charging is how varied the regions are, and what that means for EV adoption and charging an electrified model. Here are a few distinct challenges that become clear when you consider the thousands of miles and distinct geography of our continent: Congestion in Cities - Dense metro areas bring multi-unit dwellings, on-street parking, and often scarce overnight charging options. This pushes more demand towards urban DC charging, as well as daytime level 2 at workplaces, parking lots, and other destination charging sites. (The lack of options in my hometown of San Francisco was part of why I joined AMPECO in the first place.) Rural & Remote - Larger distances between towns and limited power for DC charging at some travel locations. Site and hardware selection are key factors, as utilization could be limited or sporadic, while battery storage could also be required to offset costly demand charges. Trucks are the common work vehicle in these regions, meaning larger battery packs that see the greatest benefit from high power chargers. EV Adoption Levels - Penetration levels of electric vehicles vary greatly by state and province. One-quarter of new vehicle sales in California are now ZEV models, while Wyoming struggles to sell more than one thousand EVs in a year. Utilization becomes a challenge in these areas. Are there local incentives in place to offset CapEx costs and give you more room for ROI? Can you find a site on a travel route that will see greater use from visiting EV drivers? Routing visibility and demand generation become key in locations like this.  Lifestyle & Use Case - The needs of EV drivers vary depending on how they’re using the vehicle, which is often dependent on the region. An electric truck driver towing a trailer from Moose Jaw to Maple Creek in Saskatchewan needs shelter and pull-through charging stalls, whereas an apartment-dwelling commuter in Toronto is happier with level 2 in a lot close to their office. As we think about how to drive increased electrification of transportation, we need to address the various challenges faced by EV drivers across the continent, depending on where they live. For example, nobody thinks of Europe as one size fits all... We know that Norway is out in front, much like California and British Columbia here. Other countries are further behind, requiring more thought and time to make electric vehicles work. We must be more sensitive to the challenges faced by these different regions and tailor infrastructure deployment strategies accordingly. With that in mind, how do you approach bringing EV charging to your region? How is your network growth strategy customized to fit your unique area? #ChargingChallenges #EVsales #EVadoption

#Publicationalert: Public Charging Infrastructure Pocket Guidelines 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗩 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝘂’𝘀 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 When we began working with the six EV-ready cities of #TamilNadu — #Chennai, #Coimbatore, #Madurai, #Trichy, #Salem, and #Tirunelveli — one challenge became clear: stakeholders knew charging infrastructure was critical, but many were unsure of the exact steps. Questions came up like: - Where do we begin? - Which land parcels should we prioritise? - How do we forecast demand across vehicle types? - What approvals are required, and from whom? To address this, alongside the comprehensive Tamil Nadu Public Charging Infrastructure Guidelines, the #Tamilnadu released the Pocket Guidelines — a concise, 30-page reference in English and Tamil. Formally adopted by the Department Of Industries Commerce Government Of Tamil Nadu and Guidance Tamil Nadu, the guidelines will now guide coordinated action across #TNGECL, #TNPDCL, Urban Local Bodies, and other departments. We at ITDP - India will continue supporting this effort to ensure that EV charging infrastructure is developed in line with these standards — making adoption easier, faster, and safer across Tamil Nadu. What does it do? It translates complex regulations into clear “what, why, how” actions for cities, utilities, and operators: 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 → tools to estimate how many chargers each city needs, by vehicle segment. 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 → step-by-step process for selecting optimal locations, integrating land use, traffic, and power access. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘀 & 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 → collated technical and safety rules in one place for easy compliance. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 → cost components, business models, and revenue options for charge point operators. By simplifying the technicalities, the Pocket Guidelines help government agencies, ULBs, and charge point operators align quickly — cutting delays, reducing uncertainty, and accelerating on-ground rollout. For Tamil Nadu, where #EVmanufacturing is already strong, this is about ensuring #EVadoption keeps pace — and giving cities the confidence to act.   Gratitude: To the TN Guidance team: Darez A. | Alarmel mangai | Prabakaran Andi Saravanan | Renold Regan G | Shanmugapriya Murugananth I Vishnu Venugopalan I To the ITDP - India team: Sivasubramaniam Jayaraman I Sooraj E M I Bezylal Praysingh I Pavithiran R I Kashmira Dubash I Varsha Jeyapandi I Donita Jose I Aangi Shah #EVCharging #ElectricMobility #TamilNadu #CleanTransport #NetZero

EV charging simplified Everyone talks about megawatts and mandates. Few talk about what actually works. Here’s the U.S. playbook that does. 1️⃣ Start with siting, not hardware. Use NREL’s EVI-Pro Lite or EVI-X along with the AFDC Station Locator to map real demand, dwell time, and grid impact. The best sites are workplaces, retail areas, fleet depots, and freight corridors, not empty parking lots waiting for traffic that never comes. 2️⃣ Build to open standards. Use OCPP 2.0.1 for charger control, OCPI 2.2.1 for roaming, and ISO 15118 for Plug & Charge. These keep you vendor-agnostic, prevent app chaos, and meet NEVI interoperability rules. 3️⃣ Cover every connector. NEVI still mandates CCS per port, but SAE J3400 (NACS) is gaining momentum. Dual-cable configurations future-proof sites as automakers switch to J3400 through 2025 and 2026. 4️⃣ Meet the reliability and payment bar. Each NEVI site must have at least four DC fast ports delivering 150 kW simultaneously with 97 percent uptime. Pricing must be displayed in $/kWh with tap-to-pay, SMS, or toll-free fallback and no memberships required. Publish live status and report via EV-CHART. If you cannot hit 97 percent, do not cut the ribbon. 5️⃣ Design for everyone. Follow the U.S. Access Board guidance now. Include clear routes, proper reach ranges, signage, and cable management. The proposed ADA/ABA rule will make these mandatory soon. 6️⃣ De-risk grid connections early. Start utility pre-applications before design. Expect transformer lead times of 12 to 30 months. Where capacity is limited, use staged power, on-site battery storage, and managed charging to control peaks. 7️⃣ Operate like a service, not a project. Write service-level agreements for uptime and repair time. Stock spares. Enable remote resets and secure firmware updates. Provide 24 / 7 multilingual driver support. NEVI funding assumes long-term operations, not quick builds. 8️⃣ Make smart charging the default. Vehicles are parked most of the day. Managed charging and storage reduce bills and help the grid. U.S. pilots such as Con Edison SmartCharge and BGE EV Smart Charge prove real savings and load shifting are achievable. Four-step rollout • Plan: Run EVI-Pro Lite, shortlist sites, and complete utility screening. • Procure: Require CCS and J3400, OCPP 2.0.1, ISO 15118, OCPI roaming, and clear uptime clauses. • Build: Follow NEC 625, design for accessibility, lighting, security, and transparent pricing signage. • Run: Show live pricing and status, maintain 97 percent uptime, report via EV-CHART, and iterate with driver feedback. Right siting, open standards, and clear SLAs mean fewer dead chargers, faster installs, and happier drivers. #EVCharging #EVInfrastructure #NEVI #OCPP #ISO15118 #SAEJ3400 #Accessibility #SmartCharging #EnergyStorage #Utilities #FleetElectrification #OpenStandards #GridIntegration #Sustainability

Local governments may not know it, but they have a key role in electrifying transportation. These are mostly new areas for city staff, who face countless challenges already. Consider: ⚙️ Local governments set permitting and regulatory requirements that determine whether charging is included in new multifamily housing developments - and they can also encourage existing apartment owners to make charging available for residents. 🅿️ Local governments typically control most parking in their communities - and they should be planning now to ensure that cars will have access to curbside right of way charging anywhere they are allowed to park. 🔌 Many local governments have secured Charging and Fueling Infrastructure grants to directly fund charging infrastructure (such as those announced just last week.) As states finish building out corridor charging under the NEVI program, they will also work with local governments to invest in community charging. 💡 Local governments operate large fleets themselves. By converting these fleets to electric vehicles, they can save money while helping their residents better understand EV technology. 🚲 🚍 Local governments face decisions about how to invest in bike facilities, transit, carsharing, and other alternatives to driving alone. Electrifying these options can often make them more attractive to users and cheaper to operate. Where should a local government begin? Luckily, we now have an answer! Under the leadership of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), Forth and other partners have launched Charging Smart to provide free tools, guidance, and public recognition for cities, counties, and regional governments as they navigate these complex issues. For more information on Charging Smart, including how eligible communities can sign up, visit ChargingSmart.org. Forth also collaborated with the Sierra Club, Plug In America, the Electrification Coalition to produce the AchiEVe Toolkit, designed to accelerate the switch to clean, electric vehicles (EVs) and e-mobility in an effective and equitable way by providing various stakeholders with model policies at the state, local, and utility levels. #eMobility #EVinfrastructure #infrastructure #charging #electrification