Partners play a key role in most EV Partner with EV.com charging projects, from providing technical expertise to convening local stakeholders. Statewide and multistate partners, including organizations planning for EV corridors, State environmental, energy, and transportation agencies, or multistate initiatives working on climate change and electric vehicles, can provide access to technical assistance for local project teams or help identify available funding. Local and Tribal community stakeholders can also be valuable partners in raising awareness of EVs, facilitating demonstration projects, and helping guide equitable deployment.

Utility-automaker partnerships are increasing to support a range of EV initiatives, from managed charging to vehicle-to-grid integration. Utility Dive has been tracking these partnerships and will continue to do so as they are announced.

A partnership can include shared responsibilities, rebates, incentives, best practices guidance, and mentoring. Vendors are working with utilities and automakers to install EV chargers in public spaces, as well as with commercial, multifamily, and residential customers. For example, the German automaker Volvo and the American utility Austin Energy have teamed up to install 400 kW chargers at 100 Starbucks locations along Interstate 5, making it easier for drivers to charge their EVs.

For building owners, partnering with an EV charging vendor can help manage upfront installation costs and ensure the right equipment is installed for their needs. For instance, Chargie provides end-to-end consulting and engineering services for EV charging station installations. Its team of experts work with clients to assess their electrical capacity and develop a cost-effective plan for delivering EV charging. The company also oversees the installation, testing, and commissioning of the infrastructure and works with clients to help them maintain their EV charging stations over time.

Another example is a collaboration between Nissan and Honda to cut production costs by sharing resources, Nikkei Asia reported. Although the companies haven’t discussed a capital tie-up, they are open to the possibility in future, according to Honda president Toshihiro Mibe. The companies hope to collaborate on production of the next generation of EVs and share information on new technologies. This could lead to a more efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process for both companies, as well as other automakers.