Utility Investments and Consumer Costs of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure: Energy Marketers of America Releases Study

The Energy Marketers of America (“EMA”) announce the release of a study titled:

Utility Investments and Consumer Costs of Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure (“Study”)

The Study analyzes the costs of electric vehicle (“EV”) charging infrastructure.

EMA describes itself as a federation of 47 state and regional trade associations representing energy marketers throughout the United States. The members operate exclusively below the terminal rack and supply 80 percent of all finished motor and heating fuel products sold in the United States.

A focus of the Study is the author’s view on the costs associated with what they describe as a “rapid buildup” of EV charging infrastructure involving distribution and transmission investments.

Three questions associated with EV-related distribution and transmission buildout are addressed. They include:

• What is the cost of building the distribution and transmission infrastructure required to support EV fleet expansion or meet policy-prescribed expansion targets?

• Depending on how infrastructure expansion will be funded, what are the implications for EV owners, non-EV owners, and electric utility customers?

• What are the economic impacts of EV infrastructure expansion?

The topics addressed in the Study include:

• Cost of Utility Infrastructure to Support EVs
  • Types of Charging Infrastructure
  • Charging Infrastructure Cost Estimates
• Estimated U.S. Infrastructure Costs by Scenario
  • Transmission Investments Associated with Distribution Investments
  • Perspective on Charging Infrastructure Investments
• Utility Rates and Implications for EV Charging
  • Practical Consequences of Electric Rate Structures
• Economic Impacts
  • IMPLAN Model Overview .
  • Framework for Distribution and Transmission Spending and Cost Burdens
  • IMPLAN Modeling Results
• Appendix – State Level Estimates

A copy of the Study can be downloaded here.