Predicting the EV Surge Before It Hits

As EV adoption surges, AI platforms help utilities predict demand, avoid costly upgrades, and turn charging into a grid asset

16 Feb 2026

America’s rapid adoption of electric vehicles is reshaping electricity networks, prompting utilities to deploy artificial intelligence to forecast demand and manage charging more precisely.

What was once a debate about whether EVs would strain distribution grids has shifted to questions of timing and location: when drivers plug in, where demand clusters and how networks can expand without excessive capital spending.

Bidgely, a US-based energy analytics group, has expanded its UtilityAI platform beyond household consumption data into EV detection, behavioural charging analysis and load forecasting. By analysing smart meter and behind-the-meter data, the company says utilities can identify charging patterns and predict local adoption trends. That allows planners to target upgrades at specific substations or transformers rather than undertake broader, more costly network expansions.

The company’s acquisition of Grid4C in March 2025 strengthened this approach. Grid4C specialises in forecasting electricity load and distributed energy resources, including EV consumption. The deal signalled Bidgely’s intent to scale predictive grid planning as transport electrification accelerates.

Forecasting is only part of the strategy. Managed charging providers such as ev.energy are working with utilities to influence when vehicles draw power. By encouraging charging during off-peak hours or when renewable generation is high, these platforms aim to flatten demand peaks and reduce stress on local equipment.

Industry studies estimate that shifting EV load away from peak periods could save tens of billions of dollars each year by deferring or avoiding network upgrades. For utilities, such savings are increasingly important as regulators scrutinise spending plans and require evidence that investments are prudent and cost effective.

Advanced analytics also provide a clearer basis for regulatory filings. Detailed projections of EV growth and localised grid impacts can support requests for targeted infrastructure spending, particularly in states with binding clean energy and electrification mandates.

Utilities are already deploying these tools to interpret charging data and design incentive programmes that balance reliability with affordability. As vehicle electrification gathers pace, grid planning is becoming less about adding capacity and more about managing demand with greater precision.