Xcel Energy Taps eMotorWerks to Implement Residential Electric Vehicle Charging

• eMotorWerks will provide Xcel Energy with residential electric vehicle charging stations to support their new electric vehicle charging pilot program

• Vehicle chargers to automatically respond to grid conditions, to help improve network reliability during times of peak demand

eMotorWerks, a subsidiary of the Enel Group’s new advanced energy services division Enel X, is providing residential electric vehicle (EV) charging stations for Xcel Energy in Minnesota. eMotorwerk’s charging technology will be used to support Xcel Energy’s two-year electric vehicle pilot program in Minnesota that will enroll up to 100 participants on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Through the partnership, eMotorWerks is helping Xcel Energy pioneer a new business model to better prepare their regional grids for the expected increased electric demand created by EV charging. Unlike most utilities, Xcel Energy will be purchasing and owning the charging units, and installing the systems at the residential customers’ home locations. This gives the utility a more active role in EV charging management throughout their territories, while simplifying homeowner charging.

“By 2025, there’s expected to be over 11 million EVs in North America alone, and utilities need to work fast to actively meet this growing demand,” said Val Miftakhov, Head of eMotorWerks. “As seen with Xcel Energy, our solution is practical not only for drivers and grid operators, but utilities as well, as it saves costs and increases customer touch points. We are pleased to see Xcel Energy preparing early for the EV market boom by implementing a charging solution for its customers that will pay dividends for decades to come.”

The eMotorWerks JuiceBox Pro 40 will provide Xcel Energy EV driving customers savings by avoiding the need to install a second electric meter at their homes otherwise required to track EV charging electric usage. Customers will also receive lower charging rates under Xcel Energy’s EV Pricing Plan, which can help save money by charging their vehicle in the overnight hours.

Connected by eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet cloud platform for EV charging load aggregation and control, the network of JuiceBox stations also provides the utility a dynamic demand response management solution for its grid operations. By integrating smart-grid EV charging into their grid balancing toolkit, Xcel Energy, NSPM and their customers gain affordable, cloud-connected chargers. The software features of JuiceNet allow grid operators, such as Xcel Energy, to evaluate customer and network-wide EV charging responsiveness to participate in demand response events at times of peak energy demand. JuiceNet also enables operators to integrate low-cost renewable electricity into the EV charging electricity supply and to provide other grid benefits, such as reducing marginal greenhouse gas emissions, helping stabilize grid frequency and minimize costly grid infrastructure upgrades to meet the growing electricity demands of EVs.

The program will begin on August 29th and interested customers can apply for program participation at www.xcelenergy.com/EVServicePilot. Local installers, contracted by Xcel Energy, will deliver and install the charging stations on behalf of the customers.