evVG Building Out the EV Charging Network

Fitzgerald agreed and added that if users want high- speed (e.g., 500 kW) charging, there will eventually be tiered, premium pricing models, though none exist at scale yet due to the complexity of educating customers on this approach. Roy Strasburger , CEO of StrasGlobal, president of Compliance Safe, and Vision Group Network co-founder, asked whether demand charges will drive more charging sites to include battery storage. Fitz- gerald responded that storage is indeed increasing, not to avoid charges per se, but to deal with capacity limits and long utility upgrade timelines; issues worsened by transformer shortages from China. He clarified that demand charges weren’t intended as a deterrent but as a cost-recovery mechanism for infrastructure upgrades, especially on the distribution side of the electric system. Chris Normandeau , director of FirstService Energy, noted that many utilities are actually moving toward more demand-based pricing rather than away from it, especially as more users consume power at higher levels. He asked how widespread load sharing or throttling can be implemented given the fragmented utility landscape. Fitzgerald responded that real-time management is technically feasible, particularly in cabinet systems that dynamically allocate power, but that public fast charging is rarely seen as a flexible

Demand Charges and Grid Constraints Jay Smith , executive director for Charge Ahead Part- nership, noted concerns about demand charges (costs imposed based on peak electricity use), which make it hard for businesses to predict and manage energy bills. He suggested a shift to a volumetric (per kWh) pricing model might better serve both retailers and consumers. Garrett Fitzgerald noted this idea has been debated for over a decade but emphasized that with 3,300 utilities across the U.S. with each setting their own rates, there’s no national move away from demand charges. While some utilities offer support for make-ready infrastruc - ture to ease costs, the industry is instead seeing more investment in managed charging, on-site storage, and flexible interconnection solutions to work around high demand periods. Ford Motor Company’s Global VP Electric Vehicle Programs Darren Palmer shared firsthand experi- ence from Ford’s dealership network, where demand charges, even if triggered once a month, can create unexpected costs. He warned that if these rates persist, site operators will manage energy use more aggres- sively, potentially degrading the customer experience.

Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA) is a nonprofit organization that envisions a carbon-free energy system that is safe, affordable, reliable, resilient and equitable. Featured speaker Garrett Fitzgerald noted that SEPA’s website contains a lot of free information including case studies, a technical reference library and more. Visit SEPA.org to explore their robust library.

grid resource. By contrast, fleets and residential users are adopting load control and bidirectional solutions more quickly, thanks in part to emerging programs and evolving technology. Palmer added that Ford’s connected data shows over 80% of customers charge at home, and their vehi- cles are capable of scaling charging speeds or even returning power to the home. He envisions a near-term future where bidirectional systems require less costly installation, making residential energy balancing more accessible. He also noted that the most progress in smart, flexible energy use is happening on the residen - tial side, where utilities are actively rolling out programs to manage grid strain without major overbuilds.