Electric cars are coming fast – is the nation’s grid up to it?
A lot of hyperbolic reporting but there’s a ton of off-peak excess overnight electricity capacity.  This is also when you will tend to be charging because you are home and done driving for the day.<p>Many utilities already offer off peak rates generally.  My utility offers incentives to install an EV charger which is networked and then gives you a rebate for charging overnight after 11pm.  My EV charging is barely 30% of my wintertime electric use, driving 500-800 mi&#x2F;month.  This is in a home with oil heat.  In summertime using AC in the home, my EV usage will shrink as a percent of usage.<p>Current solar prices keep dropping and incentives are pretty big there as well, so if you are a big EV driver you could put up some solar with a pretty quick break even of ~4 years or so.  Finance it correctly and you won’t have any increase in your monthly outlays.<p>Biggest barrier right now is simply EV cost.  I love my car but EVs are still only barely price competitive after incentives&#x2F;gas savings if you are a small&#x2F;midsize sedan shopper.
If you need something larger like a CUV&#x2F;SUV&#x2F;Van&#x2F;Truck, EVs are only price competitive with a luxury brand&#x2F;vehicle in the class.