Getting Electric Truck Chargers Online Faster

This report by RMI examines how flexible service connections (FSCs) can accelerate the deployment of electric truck charging infrastructure by allowing fleets to connect to the grid faster in exchange for limiting power draw during peak hours. Using modeling of utility feeder data from PG&E and National Grid, the report demonstrates that FSCs can significantly increase charging capacity and reduce the need for immediate, costly grid upgrades.

• Flexible service connections (FSCs) allow charging sites to connect to the grid faster by replacing conservative 'worst-case' planning with agreements where customers limit charging during peak hours. This can reduce energization timelines from years to months.
• RMI's analysis of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) feeders indicates that shifting load by just four hours in the late afternoon during a few peak summer days could allow the majority of feeders to support an additional 10 heavy-duty trucks. Scaled across all PG&E feeders, this could theoretically support all medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles ever sold in California without grid upgrades.
• The benefits of FSCs vary by utility based on geography and climate. PG&E feeders, characterized by sharp summer afternoon peaks due to air conditioning, offer higher potential for FSC benefits than National Grid feeders, which have flatter load shapes and constraints in both summer and winter due to heating requirements.
• Case studies show that FSCs provide tangible financial and operational gains. PepsiCo in Fresno, California, accessed 1.5 MW of additional capacity 18 months earlier than usual via PG&E's FlexConnect, saving an estimated $1 million in fuel costs and avoiding 8,000 tons of CO2. Terawatt's Rialto site unlocked over 80% of its nameplate capacity by participating in Southern California Edison's (SCE) LCMS pilot.
• Managed charging strategies, particularly overnight charging, make FSC requirements easier for fleets to meet and increase the overall benefits to the grid compared to unmanaged charging.

APA

RMI (2026). Getting Electric Truck Chargers Online Faster. https://rmi.org/resources/getting-electric-truck-chargers-online-faster/

Chicago

RMI. Getting Electric Truck Chargers Online Faster. 2026. https://rmi.org/resources/getting-electric-truck-chargers-online-faster/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=RMI |title=Getting Electric Truck Chargers Online Faster |date=19 May 2026 |url=https://rmi.org/resources/getting-electric-truck-chargers-online-faster/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rmi2026getting, author = {{RMI}}, title = {{Getting Electric Truck Chargers Online Faster}}, institution = {RMI}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://rmi.org/resources/getting-electric-truck-chargers-online-faster/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }