For millions of American households, the dream of electric vehicle ownership comes with an unexpected barrier: their home's electrical panel can't safely support a Level 2 EV charger. 

ComEd's recent Electric Vehicle Energy Management System (EV EMS) Pilot with WeaveGrid, conducted with Emporia and Treehouse, demonstrates a promising solution that could transform EV accessibility across the utility industry. 

The Pilot evaluated whether an EMS could allow residential customers to install and operate Level 2 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in homes with circuit panels that otherwise could not safely and reliably support a Level 2 (or higher) charger without costly panel upgrades, while maintaining safe, reliable, and convenient charging. EMS technology includes hardware and software components that work together to throttle EV charging if the overall household load approaches the configured electrical panel limit. 

The Challenge: 2.2 Million ComEd Customers with 100A or Less Service

According to a study published by ComEd in 2022, roughly two-thirds of homes in ComEd’s service territory had service of 100A or less, which is approximately 2.2 million homes. This Pilot was designed to assess EMS technology as a cost-effective alternative that dynamically manages total household load, ensuring that EV charging does not push a home beyond its panel capacity rating, yet still allows for a satisfactory EV charging experience.

The Solution: Smart Load Management Technology

Energy Management Systems use hardware and software to throttle EV charging when total household energy use approaches the panel's capacity limit, ensuring safe operation without expensive infrastructure upgrades. 

On average, EVs are plugged in for 12 hours a day at home but only actively charge for about 2 hours. This leaves roughly 10 hours of flexibility to work around household energy demand, which is more than enough to fully charge most EVs overnight while maintaining safety and convenience.

Pilot Results: Technology Performance and Customer Satisfaction

ComEd's pilot enrolled twelve residential customers and tested Emporia's Vue EMS hardware and PowerSmart software under real-world conditions. WeaveGrid quickly filled the pilot, and all twelve participants stayed enrolled through the end of the Pilot. Findings include:

• Reliable load management: The EMS consistently managed EV charging to respect panel limits while maintaining safe operations and a positive customer experience

• High customer satisfaction: Participants reported high satisfaction with Treehouse’s installation process and minimal impact on charging convenience.

The Market Opportunity

With Illinois targeting 1 million EVs by 2030, and ComEd expecting to serve approximately 900,000 of those vehicles, the potential impact is substantial. 

Industry Recommendations

The ComEd pilot demonstrates that with the right technology partnerships and program design, utilities can dramatically expand EV charging access without requiring expensive home electrical upgrades. This approach not only makes EV ownership more affordable and equitable but also helps utilities manage grid impacts as transportation electrification accelerates.

 Based on the pilot's success, WeaveGrid and partners recommend that utilities:

1. Integrate offerings: Combine EMS and Level 2 charger installation into a single streamlined program to reduce customer friction and costs
2. Design for equity: Implement income-sensitive incentive tiers to ensure all customers can access this cost-saving technology
3. Plan for permitting: Build realistic timelines that account for local municipality requirements, which can vary considerably 
4. Combine with managed charging: While EMS addresses home-level constraints, utilities should pair these programs with active managed charging to address distribution and bulk system peak constraints. WeaveGrid was purpose-built to help utilities address constraints from the service panel through distribution, transmission, and generation.  

Learn more about the Pilot findings in the full executive summary report on ComEd’s website. For information about WeaveGrid's EV managed charging and grid orchestration solutions, contact our team.