July Message from General Manager Darren Schauer
For over 100 years, the internal combustion engine (ICE) has been the dominant technology for getting people from point A to point B. In recent years, however, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a likely successor to ICE technology.
A Coming Transformation
Major automakers, which have been exclusively invested in ICE vehicles since the start of mass production, are entering the EV sector with increasing fervor. In May 2021, for instance, Ford Motors unveiled the F-150 Lightning, an all-electric version of its best-selling pickup truck. This mainstream EV model—which offers competitive pricing and abundant creature comforts—signals the company’s serious commitment to EVs as the future of transportation. The company estimates EVs will make up 40% of its sales by 2030. And Ford isn’t the only legacy automaker committing to EVs in a big way—Tesla’s going to have lots of company on the electric superhighways of tomorrow.
The Grid as Transportation Infrastructure
In terms of cost savings and convenience, mass EV adoption will create numerous opportunities for both electric providers and consumers. The Cooperative has been monitoring this evolving marketplace for years. Doing so aligns perfectly with our commitment to identifying and investing in the future of the electric industry. We’ve not only added EVs to our vehicle fleet in recent years, but have also opened two public, fast-charging stations. One of these is at our Seguin Customer Service Center, the other at our Seguin Western Operations Center.
At-Home ‘Fueling’ Flexibility
EV chargers—public and private—provide critical data regarding the potential impacts of widespread EV adoption across our service territory. GVEC-owned chargers aren’t our only source of such data. As more consumers purchase EVs, more are discovering at-home charging. Although the number of private, at-home chargers is limited across our service territory for now, they are increasing—and for good reason. Imagine rarely, if ever, stopping at a public service station, but instead “fueling” your EV from home each day. At-home fueling will never be possible with ICE vehicles, but home EV chargers are being sold and installed in growing numbers every year.
Join the At-Home Charging Revolution
GVEC welcomes the emergence of at-home EV charging. In fact, we’ve begun selling and installing these convenient systems to help encourage EV owners in our service territory to adopt the technology. To that end, we’re currently offering a rebate on at-home and commercial charger installation. Whether you purchase your charger from us or not, you can get 50% or $600 off—whichever is less—on the installation costs of a home EV charging system. Commercial customers will get the lesser of $3,000 or 50% off. If you own an EV, we hope you’ll take advantage of this valuable offer and become an early adopter of this revolutionary technology. To see the complete terms of this offer and schedule an appointment, visit gvec.org/electric/ev-rebate. You can also call GVEC Electrician services directly at 866.684.2359, and one of our customer service representatives will be happy to help you.
