BMW, Ford, and Honda Partner To Optimise EV Grid Services In North America

BMW Group, Ford Motor Company, and Honda Motor Co have announced the creation of a new jointly-owned venture, ChargeScape, LLC in North America. This venture aims to establish a unified platform connecting electric utilities, automakers, and electric vehicle (EV) customers. The objective is to streamline operations, create cost-effective solutions, and enable new possibilities for EV owners.

ChargeScape's platform will eliminate the need for individual integrations between automakers and electric utilities, offering these utilities access to EV battery energy from a broad range of vehicles. EV owners who participate can benefit financially by charging during "grid-friendly" times, with potential future opportunities for energy-sharing with the grid through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.

Also by securely providing energy data to electric utilities, ChargeScape aims to optimise EV battery utilisation, align charging with off-peak hours, and promote the use of renewable energy sources. This initiative comes at a time when the EV market is expanding rapidly, increasing electricity demand and grid challenges.

“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.” said Bill Crider, global head of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company.

Moreover, ChargeScape intends to provide managed charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity, even for EVs without Wi-Fi-enabled charging stations. This inclusion ensures broader accessibility to grid services.

Thomas Ruemenapp, Vice President, Engineering, BMW of North America, LLC. says, “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.”

“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,” said Jay Joseph, vice president of Sustainability & Business Development, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.