Breaking down our report for EV automakers

Across the globe, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are picking up speed. And as the market shifts from early adopters to mainstream drivers, one of the considerations for buying an EV has increasingly grown in importance: the charging experience.

That’s because EVs present an entirely new charging experience for customers. Unlike devices, which simply require the right cable and an available outlet, EV charging is complex when it comes to deciding how, where, and when to charge. Bringing EVs fully into the mainstream will require a customer-centric approach to charging that builds confidence for drivers while delivering a personalized experience to help them navigate their particular electric utility and related tariff options.

Our new report, in partnership with Canary Creative, breaks down how the industry can get there. To inform the findings, we commissioned two surveys about EV charging with Morning Consult, polling both EV owners and those considering an EV in the US. The findings help us understand what drivers want from the EV experience, and how automakers can make improvements accordingly. Here’s a snapshot of what we found.

• 72 percent of EV owners primarily charge at home, making home charging the dominant form of charging for most EV owners.
• More than 90 percent of EV owners said they would definitely or probably use a charging solution like Arc — which would enable EV companies to leverage their customers’ personal utility accounts and rate data to help drivers understand their charging costs and optimize their charging experience.
• 50 percent of EV owners expect automakers to offer this type of charging solution, compared with just 38% who expect it from their utility.

Paired with those findings, the research ultimately highlights a massive opportunity for automakers to deepen their relationship with customers to maximize the benefits of EVs. We focus on the role that data and technology will play in delivering a truly customer-focused charging experience to the benefit of customers, automakers, and the power grid. To create a solution that helps drivers optimize their charging, we explain that automakers need two essential data and technology ingredients — both of which are part of the Arc platform.

1. Comprehensive data about utility rates around the country.
2. Connection to a customer’s personal utility account.

When these two pieces are present, analytics can be used to clarify how much each charging session costs and to automate modifications to charging schedules as rates change to achieve a driver’s objectives. Dive into our report to understand the massive opportunity that this customer-focused charging approach presents for automakers — and the industry as a whole.