Editor's Note: This article was originally posted on SmartGridNews.com. Follow the link toview the article in its entirety.

Electric vehicles are a big worry for many utilities. Over the last few months, I've had several interesting conversations with Europeans responsible for electric vehicle pilots in places such as Denmark, Germany and Portugal. Based on the results of their research and their real-world pilots, I learned of six frequent fears that turn out to be false.

Still plenty to worry about of course. But you may be relieved to hear that:

1. We don't need a massive infrastructure of "intermediate" charging stations in malls and parking lots. Based on real-world pilots, almost all charging takes place at home at night. (In fleet situations, in the company lot overnight.)

2. Garage charging won't be enough. We still need to figure out how to handle on-street, overnight parking for urban dwellers who park their cars on the street.

 SmartGridNews.com is the sector's oldest and largest specialty site. Visit for up-to-the-minute analysis of smart grid trends, smart grid technology and smart grid companies. Sign up for our free email newsletter or follow SGN on Twitter.