Our 2023 participant, Xcel Energy, a regulated electric utility and natural gas delivery company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has made remarkable progress in enhancing its electric vehicle (EV) initiatives and infrastructure.
Last year, the company significantly boosted its EV infrastructure by installing more than 12 additional EV charging stations, aligning with its efforts to meet the growing demand for EV charging solutions. Furthermore, Xcel Energy added more than 20 EVs to its vehicle fleet, highlighting its commitment to electrification and sustainable transportation.
Xcel Energy engaged in various educational and promotional activities to promote EV adoption and enhance electrification knowledge among its customers and the community. These activities included EV test drives, lunch and learns, webinars, EV showcases, and general electrification education.
Emphasizing its commitment to customer engagement and satisfaction, Xcel Energy launched several initiatives to enhance the EV ownership experience:
- EV Accelerate At Home charging program: Available to customers in Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, and New Mexico, with nearly 2,000 new customers participating. In Colorado, the program offers significant savings by providing Level 2 chargers that Xcel Energy installs and maintains, enhancing the charging experience at home.
- Optimize Your Charge program: This program attracted close to 5,000 participants across the mentioned states, promoting off-peak vehicle charging by offering bill credits to customers. This encourages energy use when demand is lower, fostering more sustainable consumption and savings.
These programs have garnered high customer satisfaction, with the “EV Accelerate At Home” program achieving a 93% approval rating.
Additionally, Xcel Energy has offered financial incentives to customers, including 287 EV rebates to income-qualified customers in Colorado and almost 2,500 home wiring rebates for EV charging to residential customers. Moreover, the expansion of its EV Network to include direct-to-customer brands has further enhanced access to EV options beyond traditional dealerships.
To support fleet operators in transitioning to EVs, Xcel Energy completed 30 fleet electrification advisory projects, helping operators determine optimal strategies for vehicle electrification and charging infrastructure installation. The company also installed 180 EV charging ports at 32 fleet customer locations, demonstrating its commitment to facilitating the transition to electric fleets.
In collaboration with community partners like CO Carshare, Xcel Energy initiated EV Carshare programs, including one in Breckenridge, Colorado. This initiative not only makes EVs more accessible to the community but also plans to add more EVs to the program this year.
Looking ahead, Xcel Energy is focused on expanding its EV efforts, particularly aiming to increase customer access to residential EV charging programs and offering rebates to assist with wiring and infrastructure costs. The company’s long-term vision is to become a net-zero energy provider by 2050, with ambitious goals like enabling one out of five vehicles to be electric by 2030. This vision is aimed at helping customers save $1 billion annually on fuel while providing cleaner air for everyone. Through its extensive portfolio of EV programs, innovative solutions, and robust support and charging infrastructure, Xcel Energy is driving forward the future of zero-carbon transportation.
Learn more about their programs, rebates and incentives by visiting their EV Xcel Energy site.
