The biggest U.S. electric utilities group has pledged that if electric cars are sold at rates that automakers hope for in the coming years, the electricity will be there on demand, according to Reuters.

The group -- the Edison Electric Institute -- also pledged to work with policy makers on tax rebates and customer financial incentives and to make it easy for consumers to charge up car batteries.

The institute announced its pledges at a plug-in conference in Detroit on Oct. 21. The group will also work to convince Americans of the benefits of plugging in and will work to convince consumers to charge up an electric vehicle's batteries at night when power is cheaper and easily available.

The group recognizes that the need for standardization in plugging is one of the biggest hurdles in electrifying the U.S. vehicle fleet.

Utilities must work closely with public policy makers, private organizations, and automakers to make sure a charging infrastructure is in place as sales of plug-ins rise, said Ted Craver, chief executive of Edison International and its electric utility Southern California Edison. He added that utilities and suppliers of electrical equipment, along with automakers and their suppliers, must make components that are standard, regardless of the type of battery used in the vehicle.