BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, a new equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers.
This the partners say will benefit both EV customers and the electric utility industry in the United States and Canada by unlocking entirely new value that EVs can provide to the electric grid while enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services never before possible with traditional petrol-powered vehicles. The company is expected to be operational by next year.
ChargeScape’s platform will give electric utilities access to EV battery energy across a wide pool of EVs. It aims to provide EV customers financial benefits through EV-enabled grid services, as well as reduce their personal carbon footprints while supporting grid resiliency.
The platform will give electric utilities access to EV battery energy across a wide pool of EVs, wherein participating EV customers will have the potential to earn financial benefits by charging at ‘grid-friendly’ times through flexible and managed schedules. The green vehicle owners will also eventually have the opportunity for even more significant impact by sharing the energy stored in their EV batteries with the grid during times of peak demand through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.
ChargeScape will enable the smart use of plugged-in EV batteries by securely providing energy data to electric utilities and system operators like aggregated demand response, alignment of charging and EV battery utilisation with off-peak, low-cost hours and the availability of high renewable energy. Due to the efficient integration with participating automakers and the anticipation of high levels of EV customer enrollment, these energy services are expected to be a cost-efficient, operational benefit for electric utilities.
Thomas Ruemenapp, VP, Engineering, BMW of North America said, “Electric grid reliability and sustainability are the foundation for an EV powered future. ChargeScape aims to accelerate the expansion of smart charging and vehicle-to-everything solutions all over the country, while increasing customer benefits, supporting the stability of the grid and helping to maximise renewable energy usage.”
Bill Crider, Global Head of Charging and Energy Services, Ford Motor Co said, “Electric vehicles are unlocking entirely new benefits for customers that can save them money while supporting grid resiliency and increase the use of clean, renewable energy. ChargeScape will help accelerate the true potential of the EV revolution by providing significant benefits to both utilities and EV customers through smart vehicle-to-grid services.”
Jay Joseph, VP – Sustainability & Business Development, American Honda Motor Co said, “As Honda seeks to achieve our global goal of carbon neutrality, we are counting on this platform to create new value for our customers by connecting EVs to electric utilities, strengthening grid resources and reducing CO2 emissions. With automakers accelerating toward the electrified future, we must find solutions like ChargeScape that enable all stakeholders to work together for the good of our customers, society and our industry by enabling greater use of renewable energy for and from mobility.”
