Transportation electrification is accelerating and will affect all facets of the power system, but the effects will be most pronounced for distribution systems where vehicle charging could quickly overwhelm grid edge equipment.

An evolution of the grid will be needed to effectively integrate the quantity of expected EVs and there could be large impacts across the system, not just on EV owners. Because of the timelines associated with building new distribution and transmission infrastructure, decisions today, or lack thereof, will impact the preparedness of the grid for the expected demand.

Despite the high uncertainty of the timing and magnitude of this new demand, there are opportunities to lay a grid planning foundation today that will support a grid that enables widespread vehicle electrification.