Detroit-based Vehya, a marketplace platform for Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE), has partnered with DTE Energy in Detroit to offer utility customers the ability to have an electric vehicle (EV) charger installed, serviced, and financed on their monthly electric bill.
Through the partnership between DTE and Vehya, customers are able to finance the entire cost of an installation, which includes the EV charger, panel upgrade, and any other necessary items.
Vehya offers the required software, service providers, and hardware to support DTE’s goal of removing barriers to EV adoption by offering programs that address customer pain points, such as reducing the complexity and upfront costs for customers seeking to have an EV charger installed at their home.
Consumers interested in taking advantage of this program begin by filling out Vehya’s brief questionnaire about their home, followed by a hardware selection offered by several top EV charger companies.
DTE’s customers then choose their preferred installation dates and are given an instant assessment of the estimated cost. A built-in, easy-to-understand financing system allows individuals to see monthly payment options and choose from one-, three-, five-, and 10-year terms that will then be added to their monthly DTE bill. They are then assigned Vehya-certified service providers who are licensed electricians and experienced in EV charger installation.
“We’ve noticed that the biggest hurdle for EV adoption is the price of equipment and installation. However, we are seeing real-time increases in adoption rates when people can simply finance the equipment, upgrades, and installation,” says Will McCoy, CEO of Vehya.
“We issued an RFP and evaluated a dozen companies and Vehya was by far the most advanced platform of those that applied. We found them to be a great solution, tackling many of the issues we faced around delivering installation services and financing of EV chargers. DTE is committed to the electric vehicle future and grid resiliency, and we see Vehya as a partner to get there,” says Brett Steudle, manager of EV programs for DTE Energy.
