The Crucial Role of Home and Workplace Charging in Driving Passenger EV Proliferation

The increase in #electricvehicle (#EV) availability over the last couple years marks a significant milestone in our collective efforts to transition to a more sustainable transportation future. #PassengerEVs are now available from a wide assortment of traditional OEMs (Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Kia Motors , Nissan Motor Corporation, Tesla, Volkswagen Group, among others), as well as multiple new entrants (eg. Rivian and Lucid Motors) and in vehicle types that haven't been available previously (#trucks, #SUVs, etc.). 

This development has opened up #EVs to whole new categories of North American drivers. However, despite these new offerings, and significant federal tax credits available on some models, EV sales are still dwarfed by their traditional internal combustion (ICE) counterparts. In a Feb. 10, 2023 article on Utility Dive, reporter Dan Zukowski shared the following statistics that he gleaned from a panel of automotive industry experts at PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers):

"In 2022, EVs were nearly 16% of new light-duty vehicle sales in California, according to data PwC provided. In the 12 other states that have adopted the California zero-emission vehicle standard, EV sales exceeded 9%, but in the remaining states, the adoption rate was just 3.38%."

The fact is that most US drivers are not ready to take the EV plunge and most site "range anxiety", the fear of running out of charge, as one of the main reasons for why they are holding off.

A common focus of the national conversation on consumer EV adoption is the need for public DC fast charging, its potential to eliminate #rangeanxiety and, ultimately, its promise to attract more drivers to EVs. While I agree that public DC charging stations play a crucial role and should continue to be incentivized and deployed nationally, it is important to not forget the equally critical role of home and workplace charging infrastructure in addressing range anxiety and enabling widespread EV adoption.

The Importance of Home & Workplace Charging

I have been an EV driver for 4.5 years and drive a 2019 Nissan Leaf with a 150 mile stated range, which is less than half the range of some EVs available today. Despite this limitation, I have only used a public DC fast charger 2 to 3 times per year in very unique circumstances when I was on an unusually long trip or my range was impacted by unusually cold weather. So, how have I been able to drive a lower-range EV daily for the past several years while only utilizing public DC fast charging 10-15 times? By leveraging charging infrastructure that was conveniently located in the two places my car is parked most: my home and workplace. My experience is not unique among current EV drivers but isn't well understood by the many potential EV drivers that site range anxiety as their primary concern.

The reality is, the key to eliminating range anxiety isn't necessarily having a DC fast charger at your disposal so you can quickly add 100s of miles of range on a whim like we are used to with gasoline vehicles, but, instead, maintaining a consistent state of charge (SOC) to meet your daily needs by charging slowly and regularly in the key places your vehicle is already stationary. For most of us, that is the places we live and work.

Here are some key advantages to consider

Convenience and Accessibility:

The primary advantage of home and workplace charging is the unmatched convenience it offers to EV owners. It requires no additional trips or time. In my opinion, this is one of the most significant advantages EVs have over ICE vehicles. This convenience eliminates range anxiety (if you remember to plug in) and makes owning an EV a seamless experience, as the charging process becomes an integrated part of our daily routine, rather than an additional trip we need to make low up-front cost chargers installed in the home and workplace can operate at a much slower charge rate (kW) than public DC fast chargers, because the connected vehicles are available to charge for several hours, rather than a few minutes. 

As a result, much lower cost level 1 or level 2 AC charging hardware can be used, and the installation cost is significantly less on a per-charger basis. For example, a workplace where vehicles are parked for 8 hours or more per day may only require 4-6 kW per charger to accomplish the intended goal of maintaining their employee's SOC. This lower charge rate allows you to install more chargers at a particular location, without running into electrical capacity constraints, and charging management software can be used to adjust charge rates on a per-vehicle-basis as they come and go to stay under the site capacity limit, avoiding costly utility upgrades.

Lower Operating Cost: Charging at home and work can provide significant fueling cost savings over relying solely on public charging infrastructure. Public charging stations bear a heavy up-front capital cost, which needs to be amortized into the cost to charge, and they often charge a premium for electricity. On the other hand, charging an EV at home allows owners to take advantage of lower electricity rates, especially during off-peak hours. At work, they can leverage no cost or low-cost energy provided by their workplace as an employee benefit.

1. Capacity and Grid Management: Home and workplace charging also play a role in managing EV-related strain on the electric grid. As EV adoption increases, there will be an inevitable increase in demand for electricity. By encouraging home and workplace charging at slower level 1 or 2 charging rates, we distribute the load across the grid more evenly. Using charging management software, EVs can be scheduled to charge during non-peak hours when the grid has excess capacity, reducing the burden on the electrical infrastructure during high-demand periods, and can be integrated into utility #demandresponse programs to increase or decrease charge speed based upon the state of the grid.
2. Supporting #RenewableEnergy Integration: #Renewables can be integrated with public DC charging stations as well, but home and workplace charging installations offer a potentially simpler path to integrate on-site renewable energy sources. With the installation of #solar panels or other renewable generation, EV owners or employers can utilize clean, renewable energy to charge vehicles directly. The addition of #energystoragesystems (#ESS) may further enhance the integration by capturing renewable energy at times when an EV is not available to charge and using it to charge the EV later when those renewable sources are unavailable.

Challenges and Shortfalls

Despite the inherent benefits, there are some challenges and shortfalls associated with home and workplace charging:

1. Education: Homeowners may not understand the charger type that they need at home, how to select one and how to get it installed.
2. Lack of Control: Those living in rental homes, apartments or condos are dependent on the landlord or HOA to install and manage home chargers and unable to act on their own. Also, an employer who is occupying their building on a commercial lease may not be able (or willing) to act without the approval or involvement of the landlord.
3. Complexity: Landlords, HOAs and employers who could provide home or workplace charging are often scared off by the potential complexity of the process involved in selecting hardware, evaluating installers, managing the project, implementing software, and figuring out how to share the cost with employees or residents.
4. Cost: While the level 1 or 2 chargers utilized in a home or workplace charging scenario are much lower cost than their DC fast counterparts, it can still be $1,000s per charger, which is a significant up-front capital cost for the owner to bear.
5. Minimal or Confusing Incentives: Many states and electric utilities have seen the value of this type of charging strategy and offer incentives to help homeowners, landlords and employers deploy infrastructure, but it can be difficult to determine what you qualify for and calculate an actual out of pocket cost.
6. It's Slow: Compared to a DC fast charger, which may operate at 25-350 kW, home and workplace charging is significantly slower (2-10 kW) and won't be a sufficient solution if you are in a bind and need a quick charge.

Ideas to Encourage & Simplify Home & Workplace Charging

Here are some ways to overcome these challenges in each key area:

1. Single Family Homeowners: One intriguing option is for EV OEMs, charger OEMs and electric utilities to collaborate to create local home charging programs that can be offered by automotive dealers along with new EVs. Imagine an option available at the time you purchase a new EV that offers a compatible charger from a reputable manufacturer, installed by a qualified local electrician, fully managed by the dealer, and includes any available incentives as an up-front discount. Any remaining cost could be charged as a lump sum or rolled into the vehicle financing package (lease/loan), simplifying things further.
2. Apartments/Condos and Workplaces: Charging as a Service (#CaaS), a growing business model within the industry, is a great potential solution for business owners or landlords looking to provide charging for their employees or tenants. In this model, a third party designs the site, purchases the hardware, completes the installation, provides the necessary software, collects all of the relevant incentives/tax credits and manages the ongoing operations & maintenance (O&M). The infrastructure remains owned by this third party and is provided "as a service" to the facility. It can be financed and priced in a variety of ways to fit the application and the cost can be shared with end users, if desired, by using software to track and bill usage by individuals.
3. General: As an industry, we need to increase awareness about the importance of this class of charging in enabling EV adoption, include it in the national political conversation, figure out creative ways to incentivize homeowners, landlords and employers and make it as simple as possible to deploy.

Conclusion:

While public charging infrastructure remains essential for long-distance travel, providing access in urban areas and a critical backstop for SOC "emergencies", the significance of home and workplace charging cannot be overstated. The convenience, cost-effectiveness, flexibility, potential for renewable energy utilization and natural integration into our standard daily patterns make home and workplace charging a vital enabler of EVs. By prioritizing the development of this infrastructure and educating consumers on its impact, we can create an environment that supports and encourages the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, eliminates range anxiety and drives us towards a more sustainable transportation future.

For reference, here's a non-exhaustive, alphabetical list of companies with relevant products/services:

1. ABB E-mobility: https://e-mobility.abb.com/terra-home-charger/
2. Autel Energy - North America: https://autelenergy.us/
3. Blink Charging: https://blinkcharging.com/
4. ChargePoint: https://www.chargepoint.com/
5. Enel X Way (JuiceBox): https://www.enelxway.com/us/en/solutions/juicebox
6. EO Charging: https://www.eocharging.com/
7. EVBox: https://evbox.com/us-en/
8. EverCharge: https://evercharge.com/
9. Siemens: https://www.siemens.com/us/en/products/energy/topics/transportation-electrification/versicharge-ac-series/versicharge-ac-series-residential.html
10. Wallbox Chargers: https://wallbox.com/

References:

1. Utility Dive: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/most-us-states-lag-california-ev-adoption-5-years-electric-vehicle-charging-infrastructure/642521/
2. Car and Driver: https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g32463239/new-ev-models-us/