EV Main Insight Module in Weekly Energy Update Emails
The EV Main Insight in Weekly Energy Update (WEU) module can be included in the WEU Post Bill Report emails. The module is designed to give customers that charge electric vehicles (EVs) at their homes an overview of their monthly charging habits and encourage them to shift their charging to times the utility prefers, such as when there is low demand on the grid or when there is high availability of renewable energy.
The module includes several sections, and can vary depending on how much the customer is charging their vehicle during high-demand times. The module includes:
- Graphical information about when the EV is charging
- Insights about the best times to charge an EV
- Motivational information related to the benefits of shifting charging to low-demand times
- Marketing content (optional)
Requirements
This module is currently available only for homes with L2 chargers, and requires that the utility has hourly disaggregation enabled.
For all other requirements, see:
User Experience
This module includes:
Header Statement: The header introduces the reader to the EV section of the email and tells them that their charging schedule can make a difference. For example, "Taking a minute to set your EV charging schedule can make a difference".
Charging Time Statement: This statement appears after the header, and identifies the percentage of EV charging that was done during high-demand periods.
Charging Graph: The chart shows the reader in graphical format when they charge their EV, and identifies the best times, times that are okay, and times to avoid.
Motivational Statement: These statements are used to incentivize the reader to shift their EV charging to times when demand on the grid is lower. There are six interchangeable motivational statements that can appear in the email, and each includes an image.
Time to Charge Statement: This statement identifies the best times for the reader to charge their EV. This statement can vary depending on how many time blocks the utility has, and what times the utility wants to focus on.
Promotions: Utilities can configure up to three promotions at a time. By default, the first is a promotion for an opt-in managed charging program, the second is a promotion for a Time-of-Use (TOU) rate plan, and the third is a fully customizable promotion. If the utility configures all three promotions, the first promotion is included in the first email, then the second is included in the next email, and the third in the email after that. The promotions continue in each subsequent email on a rotating basis (1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, etc.).
Figure 3-3 EV Main Insight in Weekly Energy Update Module
User Experience Variations
This section describes how the module can vary.
Success State
A success state occurs when the user charges their EV during the hours that the utility has specified as "times to avoid" less than the threshold that is set by the utility. By default, the threshold is set to 10%. Therefore, if the user charged their EV 8% of the time during the times to avoid, they would fall into the Success state.
In this state, the email varies as follows:
- Header Statement: The header statement reads, "Thank you! Your EV charging schedule is making a difference."
- Charging Time Statement: The statement reads, "Less than 10% of your EV charging took place during <hours> when demand on the grid is highest".
- Motivation Statements: The motivation statement is removed from the module.
- Promotion: If a promotion is included in the module, it is displayed in a similar format to the motivation statements in other states.
- Time to Charge Statement: This statement is removed from the module.
Figure 3-4 Success State Variation
Needs Improvement State
This state occurs when the user charges their EV during high-demand times more than the threshold that is set by the utility, and they were not previously in the Success state. By default, the threshold is set to 10%. For example, if the user did 20% of their EV charging during high-demand periods this bill period, and they were not in a Success state last bill period, they would fall into this state.
In this state, the email varies as follows:
- Header Statement: The header statement reads, "Taking a minute to set your EV charging schedule can make a difference".
- Charging Time Statement: The statement reads, "It looks like around X% of your EV charging took place during <hours>, when demand on the grid is highest". The percentage is rounded to the nearest 5%.
- Time to Charge Statement: The statements in this section begin with one of the following:
- "Best times to charge are from" and the statement is followed by the time blocks the utility has identified as the best charging periods.
- "Better times to charge are from" and the statement is followed by the time blocks the utility has identified as the best and okay charging periods.
Transition State
This state occurs when the user charges their EV during high-demand times more than the threshold that is set by the utility during this bill period, but they were in a Success state during the previous bill period. For example, if they did 5% of their charging during high-demand times last bill period, but did 20% of their charging this period during high-demand times, they fall into the Transition state.
In this state, the email varies as follows:
- Header Statement: The header statement reads, "Your EV charging patterns may have changed".
- Charging Time Statement: The statement reads, "It looks like around X% of your EV charging took place during <hours>, when demand on the grid is highest". The percentage is rounded to the nearest 5%.
- Time to Charge Statement: The statements in this section begin with one of the following:
- "Best times to charge are from" and the statement is followed by the time blocks the utility has identified as the best charging periods.
- "Better times to charge are from" and the statement is followed by the time blocks the utility has identified as the best and okay charging periods.
Charging Graph Variations
The charging graph can vary depending on whether utilities that have specified two or three time blocks in their schedule. Utilities with two time blocks will show Best and Times to Avoid in the chart, while utilities with three time blocks will show Best, Okay, and Times to Avoid in the chart.
Utility specifies two time blocks:
Figure 3-5 Two Time Blocks
Utility specifies three time blocks:
Figure 3-6 Three Time Blocks
Motivation Statements
Utilities can choose from six motivation statements that can be included in the email on a rotating basis. The following images show the available motivation statements. Note that in mobile formats, the images appear above the statements rather than beside the statements.
Figure 3-7 Motivation Statements
Promotions
Utilities can choose to include one of three promotions in the module:
- Smart Charger promotion (shown below)
- TOU Rate Plan promotion (shown below)
- Custom promotion
When included in a Success state email, promotions are displayed using a similar format to the motivation statements, as shown here:
Figure 3-8 Success State Promotion
When included in the Needs Improvement or Transition states, the promotion is displayed at the bottom of the module, and is separated by a bar, as shown here:
Figure 3-9 Promotion in Other States
