Chartwell's New EV Research Council Puts Utilities in the Driver's Seat

Chartwell, Inc., has launched an Electric Vehicles Research Council to help utilities create their own EV platforms and share knowledge as an industry. Now, it needs members.

Based in Atlanta, Chartwell  is a specialized information provider that helps utilities improve customer experience and, ultimately, customer satisfaction.

A recent Chartwell survey of North American utility customers found that between 3 percent and 5 percent of consumers believe that they are “very likely" to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) by 2014. If even 2 percent of new car purchasers were to select a PEV within the next three years, hundreds of thousands of EVs would be on the road by 2015 – perhaps even a million, which is U.S. President Barack Obama's stated goal.

"Though it will be many years before PEVs make up a significant percentage of total vehicles on the road, electric utilities now need to look at pricing programs, prepare the emerging smart grid for a PEV charging infrastructure, and understand consumer preferences around electric vehicles and the utility's role in the market," says Chartwell research analyst Darren Epps.

Chartwell's Electric Vehicles Research Council will cover issues such as:

--Partnerships between utilities and charging station companies;

--Incentives for customers to charge off-peak;

--Vehicle-to-grid technologies;

--New business opportunities, such as commercial fleets and off-road vehicles;

--Rate schedules and dynamic pricing programs;

--Infrastructure monitoring;

--Load profiles; and

--Battery storage.

Council members will receive Chartwell qualitative and quantitative research, including targeted customer surveys and interviews with utility executives and managers charged with overseeing electric vehicle programs. Members will share their practices and lessons learned while Chartwell analysts facilitate interaction and gather data.  

For information about becoming a member of Chartwell's Electric Vehicles Research Council, contact Doris Yon at dyon@chartwellinc.com or (404) 237-9099 ext. 29. For more information on Chartwell, visit the company website.