New Research Council Will Help Utilities Get Ready for the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Surge

ATLANTA--June 14, 2011: Recent consumer research conducted by Chartwell Inc. indicates that enough electric vehicles will be on the roads in the coming years to significantly impact electric utility operations. Chartwell's all-new Electric Vehicles Research Council will help utilities launch and improve their electric vehicle programs as they learn from one another and gain a better understanding of customer attitudes and preferences in this emerging market.

A recent Chartwell survey of North American utility customers found that between 3% and 5% of consumers say they "very likely" will purchase a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) by 2014. If even 2% of new car purchasers bought a PEV in the next three years, this would mean hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles on the road by 2015 -- perhaps even meeting President Obama's goal of 1 million.

"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 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 non-road vehicles;
• Rate designs and dynamic pricing programs;
• Infrastructure monitoring;
• Developing load profiles; and
• Battery storage.

Council members 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.

About Chartwell

Based in Atlanta, Chartwell Inc. is a specialized information provider that helps utilities improve their customer experience and ultimately customer satisfaction. Chartwell publishes case studies, quantitative research and industry data, and hosts conferences and other events for utility professionals.