[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/07\/27\/electric-car-future\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/07\/27\/electric-car-future\/","headline":"Utilities and EVs: Get ready for the electric car revolution","name":"Utilities and EVs: Get ready for the electric car revolution","description":"Utilities need to prepare for the electric car future by seizing opportunities to provide the customer experience drivers will expect.","datePublished":"2021-07-27","dateModified":"2024-04-12","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/james-eardley\/#Person","name":"James Eardley","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/contributor\/james-eardley\/","identifier":161,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/973f2a97f5915a88f34d646ae26d3b7428357df8e651eff46e7dc791d11ec0ba?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/973f2a97f5915a88f34d646ae26d3b7428357df8e651eff46e7dc791d11ec0ba?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"The Future of Commerce","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/logo-foc-schema-app-1.png","width":172,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Emobility_1200x375.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Emobility_1200x375.jpg","height":375,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/07\/27\/electric-car-future\/","about":[{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/customer-experience\/customer-experience-general\/","name":"Customer Experience","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_experience","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q984142"]},{"@type":"Thing","@id":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/service\/customer-service\/","name":"Customer Service","sameAs":["https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Customer_service","http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q1060653"]},"Energy and Utilities","Industries"],"wordCount":994,"keywords":["Automotive","Utilities"],"articleBody":"If Elon Musk had his way, you and everyone you know would already drive a Tesla. But what happens when everyone on your street comes home and plugs in their rides after work?In today\u2019s utility environment, we\u2019d see daily brownouts. It would be nothing short of a miracle if just one driver\u2019s electric car had enough charge to make it to the office in the morning. Utilities aren’t ready for the electric car future.Some utility leaders are content in their belief that Musk\u2019s dream is not the reality. But the truth is, some form of the electric vehicle dream is going to come true \u2013 and soon.Globally, drivers purchased more than three million EVs in 2020, a 39% jump compared to the previous year, according to a report by Canalys. This growth continued even as car markets everywhere collapsed amid the pandemic.      Flip the switch: What do customers want from their electric utility?                What do customers want from their electric utility? Customized interfaces, easy accessibility, great customer service, and simple pay options.      The electric car future is coming fastOn top of that, the White House recently announced a US$15 billion investment in EV charging stations. This investment is part of a clean energy pledge that will see more EV chargers installed along roadways, in communities, and in public parking places throughout the United States.With this, the administration isn\u2019t just trying to support existing electric car owners \u2013 it hopes to bring more drivers into the EV fold.Many utilities do understand, at least on a theoretical level, the seismic shift EVs represent. Still, they seem trapped in a business-as-usual mentality based on a world of energy and transportation that\u2019s clearly disappearing into the rear-view mirror. In doing so, they\u2019re missing out on opportunities fast presenting themselves.President Biden\u2019s EV-charging stations will do little good without the utility infrastructure and energy to meet what\u2019s sure to be a massive growth in demand. Canalys estimates that electric cars will represent nearly half of all passenger cars sold by 2030.Charging up: Utilities in an electric car future\u00a0To take full advantage of this opportunity, you\u2019ll need to do more than just meet demand. You’ll also need to meet the expectations of consumer groups who can be hard to please \u2013 millennials and Gen Zers.Picture this: Your customer wakes up, gets ready for work, hops in her car \u2013 and her electric car battery is dead. She spends the next half hour on the phone with your company.While you may think at first that this is a problem for the car manufacturer to solve, your customer doesn\u2019t feel the same. All she knows is that she needed to be on the road an hour ago. The line between utility and mobility problems is quickly beginning to blur.      3 ways experience management can make the utilities industry better                With experience management, utilities can use operational and experience data to deepen customer relationships, retain talent, and tap new revenue streams.      EVs and utilities: CX mattersThe digital-native generations are tech savvy enough to know how to play the game. While your customer is on hold with you, she\u2019s probably also chatting with customer service at Tesla, Ford, or any other manufacturers throwing themselves into the EV-charging ring. Or she could be browsing your competitors\u2019 websites to view their rates and whether they provide alternative transportation during times like these.IDC expects the percentage of EV-related customer inquiries at utility call centers to jump from 1.3% in 2020 to 14.8% in 2025. The question isn\u2019t whether the utilities industry is ready. The question is whether your business is ready.Already, customers are expecting more from your business than simply providing energy. Many utilities are rising to the challenge by offering these customers a better customer experience.Multichannel support that doesn\u2019t go offline when customers need it most is a must, and customers want competitive offerings and services that get them where they need to go despite service disruption.Experts needed in the future of electric carsCustomers often look to their utility providers for advice on lowering their energy bills. Expect this to continue after they park an electric car in their driveway. While an EV manufacturer will offer ballpark figures regarding the cost to charge an EV, no one knows more about your customers\u2019 energy use than you.Begin a conversation now with customers about what they can expect to see on their energy bills after buying an EV. Help them understand your role in the installation of their at-home EV charging station.Best case, customers will have questions for you before they bring home their electric car. But that can quickly turn into a worst-case scenario if you don\u2019t have any answers. If a customer is already committed to the idea of getting an EV, they may simply walk away from your business and find another provider that knows, or at least appears know, more than you.This content is hosted by a third party ( player.simplecast.com ).To view the content, either update your cookie preferences or view it in a new browser window.Cookie PreferencesNew WindowThis expert knowledge is especially helpful when it comes to consulting with customers deploying an EV fleet at their business. The White House recently pledged to convert the federal vehicle fleet to EVs, and countless businesses including Amazon, AT&T, FedEx, and Ikea North America have done the same.Innovative utilities are launching entire subsidiaries dedicated to powering fleet services. They\u2019re helping schools, businesses, and municipalities find the right EV and manage that fleet to reduce costs. And they\u2019re bringing on masses of new, loyal customers too.Someday soon, your customers are going to cruise home in an EV. Prepare your business to meet their needs now, and bring on new customers in the process.  The future of business is calling.RISE to the occasion."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2021","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"07","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/\/07\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"27","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/\/07\/\/27\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Utilities and EVs: Get ready for the electric car revolution","item":"https:\/\/www.the-future-of-commerce.com\/2021\/07\/27\/electric-car-future\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]