Honda, Ford, and BMW Combine to Create ChargeScape LLC to Optimize Electric Vehicle Grid Services

The growth of EV use will increase electricity demand on utilities to charge them. Just as Honda enters the EV market with its Prologue model, Rairdon’s Honda of Marysville is happy to announce that Honda Motor Company, along with BMW Group and Ford Motor Company, have announced that they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC. It will be a new, equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers, and interested electric vehicle customers. ChargeScape is currently pending regulatory approvals, with the company expected to be operational early next year.

ChargeScape aims to provide energy management services to help support grid resiliency.  Presently, utility companies only know how much electricity they supply to residential customers but need to know what electricity is being used to charge vehicles, and having this information is helpful with their energy management.  ChargeScape intends to provide such information and manage charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity and telematics. 

One side benefit of EVs is that the state of charge, charge rate, and other information are easy to collect and store.  When used in the aggregate, such information can be helpful for electricity suppliers to make sure that power is distributed where it is needed at all times.

ChargeScape’s platform will give electric utilities access to vehicle charging information and, to participating EV owners, EV battery energy across a wide pool of EVs. These EV customers will have the potential to earn financial benefits by charging at “grid-friendly” times through flexible and managed schedules. Electric vehicle customers will also eventually have the opportunity for an even more significant impact by sharing the energy stored in their EV batteries with the grid during peak demand through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.

“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. “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.”

“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.”

“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 maximize renewable energy usage. We’re proud to be a founding member of ChargeScape and are looking forward to the opportunities this collaboration will create.” says Thomas Ruemenapp, Vice President, Engineering, BMW of North America LLC.

Additionally, ChargeScape will play a role in helping to decarbonize the grid. The company’s efforts will reduce EV customers’ personal carbon footprints by utilizing electricity from more readily available renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. While seamless integration between EV customers and utilities will be crucial to energy management success, participating EV customers will always remain in control of their charging and energy decisions.

It may sound very esoteric, but ChargeScape could be a fundamental building block for building a more effective infrastructure for our EV-intensive future over time.  In the meantime, keep an eye out for the arrival of the Prologue, Honda’s first fully electric car, which is planned to arrive at Rairdon’s Honda of Marysville in early 2024.