In late 2021, a group of more than 50 US electric utility companies met to discuss how they could boost the production of EV charging stations nationwide. Since then, the partnership they built — the National Electric Highway Coalition — has made significant progress in making their goal a reality. Here are five US utility companies leading the way in EV charging.
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Duke Power
Duke Power — now Duke Energy — has made itself a leader in the EV charging space through a variety of initiatives, including “utility inter-connection consulting, site surveys…helping organizations create fleet electrification road maps, right-sizing, and futureproofing customers’ charging needs with scalable infrastructure planning” under Tracy Li’s capable leadership.
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That’s not all. Utilizing effective content marketing (a marketing tactic that positions a company as an industry thought leader with helpful customer-facing articles), the North Carolina-based utility company helps familiarize its customers with EV charging both at home and on the road. With such an approach, their customers become more comfortable envisioning themselves as EV owners. Devoting an entire section of its website to EV charging, Duke Energy’s long-term marketing strategy has paid off in spades, only one of the bold moves that empowered the company to expand into three new states.
In addition, Duke Energy provides its customers with a rebate of up to $1,133 per EV charger to help them cover the costs of home upgrades needed to install chargers at their residences. The rebate applies to preparatory work for Level 2 or even higher-level EV chargers.
Internally, the company leads by example. Duke Energy has pledged to convert 100% of its light-duty fleet to EVs and 50% of its heavier fleet vehicles to zero-carbon options by 2030. And over the next five years, the company plans to expand its collection of workplace EV chargers to make EV charging available to its employees during their working hours.
Salt River Project
Serving the Phoenix, Arizona, area by providing both electricity and water to residents, the Salt River Project (SRP) is doing its part to promote EV usage among its customers. To that end, the utility company offers its residential customers a rebate on qualifying EV charger purchases, with special discounts for homeowners who purchase new Level 2 smart chargers from their SRP Marketplace™, available on its website. In addition, the company offers its customers a 9% discount for charging their EVs during off-peak hours.
SRP also provides EV owners and lessees with the opportunity to receive a $50 credit on their electric bill when they join the SRP EV Community. Membership gives drivers access to other perks, including “special offers, insider news, and exclusive EV initiatives.” Members also receive invites to help the company plan new “EV programs, rate plans, and charging solutions,” all of which benefit themselves and other EV owners who might join the group in the future. The group has grown from four members in 2010 to over 3,000 members today.
The company also provides its commercial customers with significant savings as well. Businesses wanting to integrate EV charging into their services can receive $1,500 for every networked charging port they install on their premises. Non-profit, government, and school facilities can receive $4,000 per charging port.
Black Hills Energy
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Founded in the famed Black Hills of South Dakota, this forward-thinking utility company provides electricity to customers in eight western and midwestern US states. In three of those states — Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming — it has launched “Ready EV,” a program to drive EV adoption by offering rebates and incentives for both its commercial and residential customers.
EV Charging Rebates for Residential Customers
Homeowners who want to install EV charging stations on their properties can receive a $500 rebate on purchasing and installing home EV chargers. Residential customers need only fill out a form, agree to the company’s terms and conditions, and send in purchase or installation receipts to receive the rebate within 60 days after the company receives the paperwork.
Customers must use qualified electricians and chargers to participate in the rebate program. Black Hills Energy can also provide personnel to assess the ideal location to install homeowners’ EV chargers.
EV Charging Rebates for Commercial Customers
Ready EV’s commercial program provides businesses with rebates of up to $2,000 for each Level 2 charger they install on their premises. Larger companies and industrial plants can receive rebates that range from $20,000 to $35,000 for installing Level 3 DC fast chargers.
Either way, these workplace installations should go a long way toward attracting quality employees and prospective customers. Even better, Black Hills Energy will guide companies through the installation process, so no business interruptions need to occur.
Georgia Power
Located in a state that ranks among the nation’s top 10 markets for EV charging, Georgia Power has risen to the challenge of providing convenient charging options for the predicted 50% EV new car adoption to occur by 2030. With rebates for homeowners who install Level 2 chargers on their properties, Georgia Power is leading the way in EV charging in the South.
The company also incentivizes businesses to electrify their commercial fleets and install charging stations on their premises. With its Make Ready EV infrastructure program, the company takes risk out of the equation by investing in, owning, and maintaining the infrastructure that powers a business’s charging stations.
Jersey Central Power and Light
First Energy subsidiary Jersey Central Power and Light provides its commercial customers with massive incentives for installing chargers on their properties, including multi-unit housing apartment buildings. Companies can receive up to a $11,100 rebate for installing a two-port charging station and up to $6,700 per port for installing up to 10 charging ports. Companies that level up to DC fast chargers can receive up to $50,500 for a “Utility Make-Ready Work” fast charger installation and up to $25,000 per port when they install up to 10 DC fast-charging ports.
Learn from Utilities Supporting EV Charging at the EV Charging Summit
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Meet the leaders of some of these companies leading the way in EV charging when you attend the next EV Charging Summit event. Learn how your company can take advantage of these experts’ knowledge to go further in the fast-growing EV charging infrastructure industry. Register for your spot today!
