2 weeks Ago
Electric vehicle adoption is growing , with nearly 300,000 new EVs sold in the first quarter of 2025 in the U.S. (an 11.
4% year-over-year increase). Amidst uncertainty about the future of federal funding and support there is a consistent key driver of transportation electrification progress: utilities. Utilities aren’t just providing the electricity for charging stations.
They’re designing the programs, incentives, and grid strategies that will shape how we electrify transportation (and other sectors) efficiently. Spanning New York City to the Prairie State and beyond, the utility role is evolving rapidly, from rebate administrator to infrastructure strategist. As utilities approach the next phase of EV adoption, their focus remains on two core priorities: supporting infrastructure development and aligning grid planning efforts with growing EV demands.
Electric vehicle charging against a backdrop of a modern cityscape. In the Big Apple, Con Edison has turned one of the most challenging urban environments into a proving ground for electrification. Over the last five years, the utility has supported the installation of more than 13,000 Level 2 charging plugs and 600+ DC fast chargers.
Of the 1,100 fast charging plugs installed or in the works, more than 700 are located in disadvantaged communities, a direct relief to high asthma rates and environmental burdens in those areas. Con Edison has learned to stay nimble and adapt their programs in real time to serve what the market needs. Maintaining program flexibility and a finger on the pulse of customers and contractors has allowed the utility to deploy more charger incentives and technical support where needed most.
“When the lower-cost, easy-to-deploy charging sites started to disappear, we quickly restructured incentives to support more complex locations—and the market responded immediately,” said Alison Kling , Department Manager of E-Mobility Infrastructure Programs at Con Edison. The utility is also supporting emerging business models like charging-as-a-service, rideshare electrification, and curbside charging, while engaging with key stakeholders like the Taxi & Limousine Commission and city permitting agencies to smooth the path forward. And with state policy in place to transition to a 100% electric school bus fleet by 2035, the utility can provide school districts with financial incentives for infrastructure as well as site assessments and smart charging solutions that save cost like shifting to overnight charging.
When incentives align and utilities are partners to customers at every step of the journey, it is no wonder EV adoption is holding strong. While newer to the EV space, ComEd has wasted no time making an impact. In 2024, its first year of programming, 60% of ComEd’s EV funding went to historically underrepresented customers and communities throughout its service area.
This year, that number rose to more than 80%, a clear sign of intentional design and delivery. The utility has also started expanding efforts into the more rural areas of the Prairie State, where long-term infrastructure needs will be more intensive. ComEd is also one of the few utilities in the country offering commercial vehicle incentives directly at the point of sale—a result of a unique cost-benefit and policy framework in Illinois.
By engaging a network of dealers, stacking incentives, and providing tools and technical assistance, ComEd is making EV adoption simpler and more accessible. Reflecting on Q1 of this year, it’s clear more customers are making the switch to EVs. “We have funded more electric fleet vehicle purchases and leases in the first quarter of 2025 than in all of 2024”, says Cristina Botero , Senior Manager of Beneficial Electrification at ComEd, “and 99% of those funds have been for commercial customers located in or primarily serving historically underrepresented communities.
” With residential customers having an option to shift to hourly rates and plans for active managed charging, the utility is also exploring innovative ways to manage load and control system costs, all while building out a diverse EV workforce. Nationally, there’s an industry pivot from supportive infrastructure incentives to strategic grid integration and load management. In states like New York, Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado, utilities are now layering distribution system planning into their EV programs—an encouraging sign that the market is maturing.
Con Edison, for example, is proposing investments to support comprehensive grid infrastructure, from future-proofed transformers at the local level to upgrades at area substations. But many utilities still take a reactive approach, especially smaller utilities. “The risk is asymmetric,” said Elizabeth Turnbull , Director of Policy and Regulatory Affairs at the Alliance for Transportation Electrification.
“Building early is cheaper and more effective than building late.” And while landmark federal initiatives like the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program provide essential infrastructure funding, they were never meant to carry the entire load. There is still a need for utility programs to bridge gaps and lead where the market isn’t yet self-sustaining.
That includes rural drivers served by public power and cooperatives who stand to benefit enormously thanks to lower electricity rates and higher mileage. “It’s not a question of if , but when ,” Turnbull said. “We need to keep pushing—because if the grid and infrastructure aren’t there when the market arrives, we’ll miss the moment.
” As EVs become a mainstream transportation option, utilities have moved from the periphery to the center of the transition. They're no longer just supporting adoption—they're shaping it, through rate design, grid investment, and hands-on customer support. The message from across the country is clear: utility programs work—when they're resourced, responsive, and rooted in real-world customer needs.
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