Currently, a key development in the electric vehicle sector is bidirectional charging, a system where a car not only draws power from a charger but also sends electricity back to the grid when necessary. Recognizing its significance, BMW, Ford, and Honda have joined forces to launch a specialized company in the U.S., named ChargeScape.
Revealed just before the Detroit Auto Show kicked off, this collaborative venture aims to enable car owners of these three brands to contribute electricity back to their local power grids. By employing a range of controlled charging and energy redistribution services, the enterprise aspires to unveil new avenues of value that electric vehicles can add to the power infrastructure.
“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,” said Bill Crider, global head of charging and energy services, Ford Motor Company. “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.”
As the number of electric vehicles continues to rise, stress on the electricity grid is anticipated to intensify considerably. By sending some electricity back to homes when not needed for driving, the companies involved aim to buttress "grid resiliency."
This mechanism also allows electric vehicles to serve as sizable energy reservoirs. They can store surplus energy from wind and solar generators when production exceeds consumption, and later dispense it when those green energy sources are idle.
ChargeScape is projected to make a substantial impact as it collaborates with electric vehicles from multiple brands, pooling their collective usage to react more efficiently to energy demands. This will, in turn, provide operational cost benefits to local energy suppliers. Nonetheless, the company clarifies that vehicle owners will always control their car's charging and discharging cycles to make sure they have sufficient power for their journeys.
“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, VP of Sustainability & Business Development, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “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.”
Source: Ford Motor
