BMW, Ford, and Honda have joined forces to establish ChargeScape. The three companies said the new venture would streamline connectivity between electric utilities, automakers, and EV customers in the US and Canada.
ChargeScape’s platform would eliminate the need for individual deals between car manufacturers and electric utilities. This would grant electric utilities access to EV battery energy from a “wide pool of vehicles”.
Participating EV owners could also earn financial incentives through charging at “grid-friendly” times through flexible and managed schedules.
The platform permits vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications, enabling EV owners to contribute surplus energy back to the grid during peak demand.
It will also enable the smart use of plugged-in EV batteries through providing data such as aggregated demand response, alignment of charging and EV battery use with off peak, low cost hours and the availability of high renewable energy.
“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,” said Thomas Ruemenapp, engineering chief at BMW of North America.
The automakers said ChargeScape’s advantage lies in its direct communication channels with EV customers, solving a common challenge for utilities seeking to engage with customers.
Through automaker telematics, ChargeScape facilitates managed charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity without requiring Wi-Fi-enabled charging stations.
The venture is expected to be operational in 2024 pending regulatory approvals.
