According to a recent report, EV customers have already contributed $3.12 billion in net revenue (new revenue in excess of associated costs); money that is returned to all utility customers in the form of electric rates and bills that are lower than they otherwise would be. Additionally, managed charging strategies help minimize reliance on expensive peak-period energy generation, which will help reduce energy costs.
EV charging is a stable, predictable load
EV charging tends to be location-dependent and stable over time. Homes, workplaces, warehouses, truck stops, and travel plazas along interstates in place today are very likely to be in the same place decades from now. Data centers may seem like a better bet for grid planning than EVs that are inherently mobile. But data centers can actually be more transient than charging stations; in some cases—such as cryptocurrency mining operations—data centers are deployed in cargo containers that can be put on a truck and moved. Operators may move to different states or regions based on electricity costs, tax incentives, or regulatory policies. This can create challenges for utilities that invest in new grid infrastructure, only to see a facility relocate before those costs are fully recovered. Importantly, regulators have plenty of tools at their disposal to prevent such outcomes, such as requiring multiyear capacity commitment payments up front as a requirement for a large load to interconnect.)
Why this matters: Utilities can reliably invest in EV infrastructure, knowing the demand will be there for decades.
EV charging provides grid flexibility and resilience
One of the most exciting benefits of EVs? They don’t just use electricity—they can also store and return power to the grid, making them valuable assets for grid stability.
- V2G technology allows EVs to charge when electricity is abundant and to return energy during peak demand.
- EV fleets (such as electric buses and delivery vans) could one day serve as a distributed battery network, supporting grid stability and reducing the need for fossil fuel peaker plants.
- EVs as mobile energy resources provide utilities with new tools to balance supply and demand.
Electric vehicles can actively support the grid, unlike other energy users that only consume power. While some utilities have explored energy curtailment strategies (temporarily reducing power usage during peak hours), they don’t function as grid-supporting energy storage like EVs can. For example, a fleet of EVs plugged in overnight can charge using excess wind power and return energy to the grid during the day. A data center, by contrast, will continue operating at full capacity regardless of grid conditions.
The bottom line: EV charging is an opportunity, not a risk
Claims that EVs and data centers will crash the grid are unfounded. Electric utilities do not connect new loads to the grid unless they can be reliably supported. While EVs, data centers, and other loads require planning, their needs are fundamentally different, with EVs offering key advantages in flexibility, air quality, and cost savings.
EVs reduce air pollution and can mainly be charged when there’s plenty of spare capacity available—such as overnight—thereby reducing the need for new power plants. Additionally, the infrastructure upgrades required to accommodate fast charging are predictable, concentrated in specific locations (e.g., along interstates), and are unlikely to move.
The grid won’t crash—EVs will make it stronger, cleaner, and more cost-effective for everyone. With strategic EV integration, we can accelerate to a sustainable, resilient, and affordable energy future.
