HOW UTILITIES MANAGE EV INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
There are many different ways to build utility teams to successfully manage EV infrastructure projects.
There are many different ways to build utility teams to successfully manage EV infrastructure projects.
Utilities often have dedicated EV teams that consist of two to 10+ team members. The importance of a dedicated EV team, no matter the size, is that someone is focused on becoming an expert in transportation electrification. They should bring this information back to the utility to help grow this business segment in the most efficient way possible.
One best practice of utility EV teams is to be able to leverage key internal departments that can help them make their EV program successful.
Here are some examples of different utility approaches:
Small Team: Two Team Members
EV Team Manager/Director: EV charging infrastructure expert working with management to guide the overall EV strategy, attends conferences and trade organizations to learn best practices, leads regulatory efforts, works cross functionally with management to leverage the expertise of key departments that can help move the EV strategy forward, such as: external affairs for stakeholder outreach and development; key accounts for outreach to commercial customers; customer communications to develop a marketing strategy: regulatory to develop future EV infrastructure filings etc.
Education and Outreach Manager: Leads the education and outreach portion of the EV strategy, works cross functionally to provide key departments with the needed materials for their stakeholder and customer outreach efforts, oversees implementation of the marketing plan that could include: customer journey mapping, EV test drives, dealership outreach, internal employee education, website development, etc.
Medium-Sized Team: Five Team Members
Same two team members as above plus a growing focus on team members that can develop EV charging infrastructure programs that will receive regulatory approval
EV Charging and Infrastructure Expert: Focuses on the development of successful utility EV charging and infrastructure programs for regulatory filings, creates RFI/RFQ/RFP, and works with charging vendors to understand available technology.
Regulatory Manager: Focuses on drafting successful EV charging and infrastructure regulatory filings.
Education and Outreach Support Manager: Supports the Education and Outreach Manager on implementation of the marketing plan, overseeing EV test drives, dealership outreach and internal employee educational events.
Large Team: 10+ Team Members
Same five team members as above plus a growing focus on developing a sales and operations team for EV charging program implementation.
Program Manager: Develops the sales strategy for their EV charging program, overseeing team members bringing in sales and working cross functionally with other departments to ensure consistent program messaging and if departments are given sales goals they are being met.
Sales: Although it is not typical for utilities new to EV charging programs to have sales team members, when implementing such programs, the role really is a sales role and their goal is to help meet the programs key performance indicators through program sign-ups.
Construction Project Manager: Works with procurement, operations and construction departments to manage charging inventory and creates customer EV charging infrastructure construction schedules.
MD/HD Charging Infrastructure Expert: Focuses on developing MD/HD charging infrastructure programs, works with charging vendors to understand available technology, works with Regulatory Manager to create next program filing.
Financial Analyst: Focuses on regulatory filing and program financials.