EVs, Range Anxiety, and the Business of Getting Customers to Plug In
Five years ago, my husband parked our first electric vehicle (EV) in the driveway. And I quickly found out how enjoyable it was to drive that car.
I also recognized my range anxiety. That anxiety was real. Nobody wants to be stranded before finding a place to charge up!
My learning curve was steep, too: planning road trips around the car’s battery range, figuring out where to find compatible charging stations, and how to use charging plugs and their apps.
Driving Customer Adoption Through Listening and Ecosystems
We’ve had a few different EV models in our driveway since then. All have been terrific cars!
But what’s really blown my mind is how visibly the EV customer experience has evolved. It's hard to deny that EV automakers and others in the industry have done far more than just listen to their customers.
Many companies simply want to know what customers think of their product and that's it. But the EV world's relentless inqury seems to be: how does the EV fit into the customer's life stream? Followed by: how can the business ecosystem evolve so that customers buy with confidence while the business ecosystem recognizes growth opportunities?
We've seen fast innovations in automobile performance. Joint ventures and partnerships like Rivian and Volkswagen's that eventually lead to sharper EV software. Efforts toward creating more resilient supply chains. Better EV batteries.
And of course, innovations in the charging infrastructure, like IONNA, a network backed by eight major automakers that can serve most EV brands, rather than being exclusive to just one.
Charging Infrastructures Changed the Customer Experience
And look where we are now. It hasn’t always been this way, but compatible fast charging stations are quickly popping up at Walmart, Sam's Club, Buc-ee’s, Sheetz, Wawa, roadside rest stops, and some independent restaurants and stores.
I recall wondering just five years ago why EV charging brands weren't already infiltrating such locations. Profits seemed to be left on the table because these are places where drivers are already accustomed to stopping for fuel, a quick break, snack, or meal.
Now the customer experience includes easily grabbing your favorite road pop while your EV charges outside. At the same time, stores and restaurants hosting EV chargers grab extra economic value for themselves. Setup didn't just happen. It required people finding each other and working together toward a common goal.
The EV Story Isn’t Finished
I haven’t even talked about the remarkable history behind all of this. EVs may seem like marvels of modern technology, but the idea of an EV is not new. The first rudimentary electric car, a carriage, dates to the 1830s!
Even though we’re roughly 200 years in, EVs’ story is far from finished. Battery supply chains, critical minerals, environmental sustainability, recycling, regulation, and political priorities all face challenges as the industry moves forward.
All of this is why I decided to research and write Guide to Electric Vehicles for Sage’s new Social Impact Business Essentials collection. It's a battery- and charging infrastructure-centric overview of EVs through a nontechnical consumer and business lens. Ultimately, the guide invites students to consider the core systems involved in creating an EV driver's experience.
My work typically focuses on customer experience and leadership. I see both in the world of EVs.
