Section 2: Beneficial Electrification End-Use Applications

Transportation Electrification

Part 2: EV Consumer Options

 Electric Vehicle Options

All images courtesy of each vehicle’s manufacturer

  • Ford F-150 Lightning

    Rivian R1T

    Chevrolet Silverado

    GMC Electric Sierra

    Chevy Blazer EV

    Tesla Model Y

    Dodge Ram Rev 1500

    Rivian R1S

    Ford Mustang Mach-e

    Kia EV 9

    Chevy Equinox EV

    Rivian R3

    Jeep Recon

    Tesla Cybertruck

    Dodge Charger Daytona SRT EV

    Volkswagen ID Buzz Beach

    Volkswagen ID 4

    Tesla Model 3

    Hyundai Ioniq 5

    Kia EV 6

    Subaru Solterra

    Jeep Wagoneer S

    Volvo EX 90

    Volvo EX30

    Honda Prologue

    Nissan Ariya SUV

    Nissan Leaf

    Toyota BZ4X

    Hyundai Ioniq 9

    Volvo EX40

    Audi Q4 e-tron

    Tesla Model X

    GMC Hummer

    GMC Hummer SUV

    Cadillac Escalade IQ

    Polestar 2

    Polestar 3

    Tesla Model S

    Hyundai Kona EV

    Kia Niro EV

    Chevy Bolt EV

    Chevy Bolt EUV

    Lucid Air

    Lucid Gravity

    Jaguar I-Pace

    Porsche Taycan

    Porsche Macan

    Porsche Cross Turismo

    Polestar 4

    Polestar 5

    Audi Q6 e-tron

    Audi Q8 e-tron

    Audi e-tron GT

    Volkswagen ID 8

    Genesis GV 60

    Genesis GV 70

    BMW I4

    BMW IX

    Mercedes EQB

    Mercedes EQE

    Mercedes EQS

    Mercedes EQG

    Lexus RZ450e

    Dodge Ram ProMaster

    Ford E-Transit 350

    Mercedes eSprinter

    Vinfast VF9

    Vinfast VF8

    Jeep Wrangler Magneto

    Chrysler Airflow

    Ford Explorer EV

    Lincoln SUV

    Mini Aceman

    Fiat 500e

    VW ID7

    Hyundai Ioniq 6

    Acura ZDX

Market Outlook: Electric Vehicles

Electric pickups and SUVs are coming on strong. Rivian’s R1T was first to market in September 2021. Ford Motor’s fully electric pickup truck, the F-150 Lightning, began customer deliveries in spring 2022. The fleet model starts at $40,000. Tesla’s Cybertruck, with up to 500 miles of range, is set for a 2023 release and is estimated to come to market at cost parity with internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalents.

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption will expand rapidly in the next 5-10 years. Most automakers are now putting the vast majority of their investments into EVs, which will lead to big changes in consumer choices.

Costs have fallen rapidly, underpinned by plunging battery prices and increased production efficiency. Soon, a number of vehicle classes will be at cost parity with ICE vehicles due to falling battery costs. Cost parity will rapidly drive what some experts refer to as a tipping point for EV adoption.

EVs Offer Significant Load Growth Benefits

Electric vehicles offer utilities opportunities for increased revenue just like other forms of electrification. Controllable load is an exceptional type of load growth to harness as it can help to mitigate peak capacity issues.

  • One household purchasing an electric pickup or SUV can increase its energy use by 68%

    * Based on national average home energy use of 30 kWh/day and adding one electric truck/SUV driven 15,000 mi/yr per vehicle, which would require an additional 20.5 kWh/day

  • Scaling this calculation to 1,000 homes in a service territory is an increase of 625 MWh/month

Electric Vehicle Education

Forth Mobility staff conducting outreach to drivers at Portland International Airport. Photo Credit: Forth

While offerings for rural America like electric pickups and SUVs are coming on strong, there is still an education gap surrounding EVs. The utility can act as a trusted source to help inform utility staff, the general public and fleet customers.

Annual meetings, parades, and community events offer great opportunities for the utility to showcase electric offerings. In particular, “Ride and Drives” are an important tool the utility can deploy to help demonstrate the benefits of EVs to customers. Ride and drives can also provide the opportunity for the utility to build relationships with auto dealers and perhaps further incentivize sales.

Collaborating with auto dealers in and around the utility service territory is an important strategy to help inform customers and potentially provide sales or vehicle incentives. Section 4’s TE Program Framework (coming soon) will dive deeper into the details describing how to plan and implement successful Ride and Drive events to help inform the utility’s customers.

For additional information, see Section 5: Marketing

 

Electrification Goes Beyond Cars and Trucks

Harley-Davidson LiveWire. Photo Credit: Harley-Davidson

Back-country enthusiasts, urban commuters, and road trippers are all getting a taste of electrification.

Other electric vehicle options include motorcycles, dirt bikes, Ebikes (commuters, kid carriers to mountain bikes and some that blur the motorcycle line), snow mobiles, side by sides / Utility Task Vehicles (UTVs), RVs, boats, and jet skis.

 Additional Resources