Why electric vehicles are a big opportunity for utilities

A new Boston Consulting Group paper is the latest analysis to conclude that EVs present a suite of revenue opportunities for U.S. power companies that play their cards right.

The big picture: The consultancy estimates that the rise of EVs could "create $3 billion to $10 billion of new value for the average utility" that has 2–3 million customers.

By the numbers: They see EVs (plug-in hybrids and pure battery vehicles) accounting for up to 30% of U.S. light-duty vehicle sales by 2030 and up to 12% of vehicles on the road.

What's next: The report sees several primary business opportunities as more people use electricity to travel.

• "Utilities will earn a return on capital investments in the new grid infrastructure that is required to meet the increased demand from EVs," they note.
• The report also concludes that there's a major business opportunity for power companies that offer EV-related products and services
• "They include EV operations and maintenance; the installation, operation, maintenance, and servicing of EV charging points; software solutions for such things as energy management and fleet routing; and consulting services," it states.

Flashback: The report comes on the heels of an Accenture analysis which concluded that sees EVs creating a potential $2 trillion-plus market for utilities in the U.S. and Europe over the next couple decades.