Active managed charging is a utility-controlled approach to EV charging that uses software to remotely adjust charging so that it takes place during off-peak hours or when abundant renewable energy is available. This helps to stabilise the grid, reduces costs and prevents overloads, while ensuring that the EV is ready when needed.
By offering direct control over charging sessions for the benefit of the grid, this approach differs from more passive methods such as basic time-of-use rates.
As EV adoption continues, utilities are tasked with managing increased strain on an aging grid. The Brattle Group’s analysis of EnergyHub’s active managed charging solution shows that advanced optimisation of EV charging can help utilities meet this challenge effectively by reducing local grid stress and minimising wholesale market costs, while continuing to ensure customer charging needs are met.
The report, Demonstrating the Full Value of Managed EV Charging, compared two active management strategies tested in a real-world trial against unmanaged charging and passive time of use (TOU) rates, finding that active managed charging:
Reduces EV charging peaks by up to 50 percent: Active management smooths EV load at the service transformer and feeder levels, reducing distribution grid congestion.
Significantly increases distribution system hosting capacity: Managed charging can allow the distribution network to support ~2x more EVs before requiring upgrades.
Defers primary and secondary distribution system upgrades by up to 10 years: Utilities can substantially delay costly investments while maintaining service quality.
Saves up to $400 per EV annually: Active strategies deliver substantial system cost savings in most geographies and could be even higher in more constrained locations.
Delivers 95 percent of charging during off-peak periods: Active managed charging can handle complex time-of-use rate schedules for customers, reducing charging bills.
Ensures customer charging needs are met: 100 percent of EVs that remained plugged in with sufficient time to charge reached their desired target state of charge, while individual customers overrode charging commands in an average of 2.3 sessions per month under active management strategies.
The study also found that just one or two EVs can trigger distribution service transformer overloads under unmanaged charging or passive TOU rates, while active management can allow the same transformers to support up to five EVs.
“As utilities prepare for accelerating EV adoption, understanding the real-world performance of active managed charging is critical for planners to be able to utilise these solutions in distribution system planning” said Akhilesh Ramakrishnan, Managing Energy Associate at The Brattle Group and co-author of this study.
“This report provides a rigorous, data-driven evaluation of how active managed charging can improve hosting capacity and reduce grid infrastructure costs. By using actual vehicle data to model distribution system impacts, this study moves the industry beyond assumptions to actionable insights that support proactive planning and investment decisions.”
EnergyHub’s active managed charging solution enables utilities to optimise EV load for multiple objectives while prioritising driver experience. Its Distribution Load Optimisation technology delivers multi-level optimisation across distribution grid infrastructure - from the substation to the service transformer - helping utilities solve for distribution limits, wholesale costs, and customer rates.
“This report confirms that active managed EV charging isn’t just a theoretical solution - it delivers measurable grid value today” added Freddie Hall, Data Scientist at EnergyHub. “By actively shaping load at the distribution level, utilities can defer costly upgrades, improve reliability, and design programmes that work for both the grid and drivers.”
As more EVs take to the road, The Brattle Group’s findings highlight the urgency for regulators and utilities to move from a policy of reactive infrastructure upgrades to proactive planning that incorporates grid-edge solutions. Active managed charging provides a cost-effective, scalable pathway to maintain affordability and reliability while advancing the clean energy transition.
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