Investment in Electric Vehicle IT Systems to Total $5.1 Billion by 2015, Forecasts Pike Research

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BOULDER, Colo September 28, 2010; With more than 3 million electric vehicles (EVs) expected to be driving the world's roads by 2015, utilities will face a host of new infrastructure requirements to support the increased power demand that will result from customers plugging in to recharge. The majority of EV service equipment (EVSE) will be networked and managed via information technology (IT) and communications systems that will aggregate power demand and enable a coordinated response to changing grid conditions. According to a new report from Pike Research, these needs will drive significant investment in electric vehicle IT systems, which will reach a cumulative total of $5.1 billion during the period from 2010 to 2015.

"Electric vehicle IT systems are necessary since utilities will face an immediate impact from EV charging on their localized power distribution equipment," says senior analyst John Gartner. "During the early part of the decade, EV charging will not interfere with utilities"; overall ability to keep up with total electricity demand, but certain neighborhood transformers and other distribution assets could be quickly overwhelmed in areas with rapid EV adoption."

Gartner adds that a variety of companies will be active in the EV IT sector including automakers, EVSE vendors, smart grid integration providers, energy services companies, systems integrators, and utilities themselves. However, Gartner cautions, the implementation of EV IT systems will be slowed by a lack of standards for storing data and sharing information between utilities and external systems. The automotive, home networking, smart grid, and utility industries are collaborating with organizations, such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to develop standards to establish first-time interoperability with grid equipment, but many of these standards will not be completed until 2012 or later.

Pike Research's report, ;Electric Vehicle Information Technology Systems, analyzes the IT requirements and market opportunities associated with managing EV charging and the interaction with grid resources. The report provides a comprehensive examination of the information and communications systems for EV enablement within the utility grid infrastructure. It includes forecasts through 2015 for investment in EV information and communication technology in world regions, along with profiles of key industry players. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the firm's website.

Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Clean Transportation, Clean Industry, and Building Efficiency sectors.