Case Study: How MTE and Electric Era Partnered to Solve EV Charging Gaps in Tennessee

At Electric Era, we're committed to sharing real-world examples of how our solutions make a tangible, quantifiable difference. Recently, we had the opportunity to gather insights from the team at Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) about their journey in addressing EV charging gaps in their community. MTE's leadership generously responded to our questions, providing detailed answers via recorded responses. This unique approach allowed us to capture their experiences, challenges, and their reasoning behind choosing Electric Era for the partnership, all in their own words. Their insights offer valuable lessons for utilities, businesses, and communities looking to enhance their EV charging infrastructure. Join us as we delve into MTE's story and explore how our collaboration is powering Tennessee's electric future.

About MTE: 

Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE), a cooperative electric utility based out of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, recognized a growing interest in electric vehicles (EVs) and growing demand for EV charging infrastructure in its community. That said, their members often voiced a common concern: “range anxiety,” or concern about how seamlessly they’d be able to charge EVs or other plug-in electric vehicles. Ultimately, one of the better ways to assuage customer range anxiety in any region is to expand access to reliable public charging stations. As a result, MTE sought to install fast EV charging stations, especially after it secured partial public funding via the Tennessee Fast Charge Network program—a joint initiative of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Challenge: 

Even with partial public funding secured to finance the construction of public EV charging stations, MTE had to evaluate numerous potential hardware providers and partners for its project. The project’s primary motivation remained service, not profit. MTE was focused on improving its member experience by offering reliable, accessible EV charging stations on major corridors, though it did still maintain a perspective on recovering investment costs. MTE was tasked with sourcing EV charging infrastructure that would feature high uptime (as close to operational at all times with 100% reliability as possible), meet city regulations, and would be provided by a partner who could ensure a seamless installation and post-installation process.

Solution - Partnership with Electric Era: 

After a rigorous evaluation process, MTE turned to Electric Era. Electric Era’s focus on maximizing uptime—a critical need for MTE—set the company apart, as did its self-healing algorithm, developed based on Electric Era engineers’ experience at SpaceX, which gave MTE confidence in the equipment’s reliability. Further, Electric Era’s innovative use of batteries not only reinforced the reliability of its EV charging stations but also helped relieve stress on MTE’s grid during peak energy usage.

Another critical factor was Electric Era’s collaborative approach. Rather than just selling equipment, they became an ongoing partner. From engaging early with city regulators to ensure smooth installations to providing expert support throughout the process, Electric Era was instrumental in navigating challenges and ensuring compliance with local codes. Here’s how Brandon Wagoner, who manages strategy execution and analytics at MTE, described his experience working with Electric Era:

"They made this project really easy... We needed someone who could walk us through the installation and know that when they gave us recommendations, they had our best interest in mind."

Further, MTE was excited about Electric Era’s charging solution because it unlocks cost savings on wholesale electricity that can be passed on to their customers. With Electric Era’s battery-backed energy management system, EV station operators are able to reduce grid demand, bidirectionally discharge energy back to the grid, and conduct rate optimization during peak and off-peak times. Additionally, this approach helps to provide EV drivers with electricity from cleaner energy resources. 

The new charging station is already operational ahead of formal opening in the coming months. Even without any publicity, the station is showing strong utilization, quickly jumping to the top of the leaderboard among Electric Era sites nationwide., The local community is excited as many anticipate the benefits of dual-connectors (CCS and NACS), a rarity in the region.

Impact:

With a focus on brand-building rather than pure revenue generation, MTE’s project underscores how utilities and other companies can enhance community engagement and customer satisfaction with EV infrastructure. The project not only serves immediate customer needs but also positions MTE as a trusted resource for members in the future. For Electric Era, the excitement of both MTE and its members about the quality of the battery-backed EV charging stations, as well as the holistic services rendered, cements it as a leader in the EV charging station deployment and management industry.