BMW, Ford, and Honda have begun operations of ChargeScape, a new electric vehicle charging joint venture, with technology that they say will help mitigate electric grid bogdowns.

ChargeScape is a software platform that integrates EVs into the power grid, shoring up grid stability while saving drivers money on their charging, according to the automakers.

A news release from ChargeScape, and shared by the three automakers, states that as more Americans switch to EVs, cheaper fueling costs have become top-of-mind for drivers, particularly while charging at home where 80% of EV charging occurs, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates.

“At the same time, the nation’s power grids have come under increasing strain due to electricity demand from data centers and the intermittent nature of renewables. To meet these needs, ChargeScape’s technology wirelessly connects to electric vehicles and, working with participating utilities, manages the flow of electrons in line with real-time grid conditions.”

Doing this temporarily reduces demand when the grid is constrained through smart charging (V1G) and sends energy back into the grid when needed (V2G). EV drivers have the potential to be rewarded financially for their flexibility and always have their vehicle charged by the time they specify, according to ChargeScape.

ChargeScape builds off of the early success of the three automakers’ work on smart charging through the Open Vehicle-Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP), which includes multi-state utilities Duke Energy, Xcel Energy, and Eversource Energy.

ChargeScape’s board of directors has also named its first CEO and chief technology officer (CTO).

Joseph Vellone takes the helm as CEO with 15 years of experience in the energy and climate sectors, according to the release. Vellone was most recently part of the founding team at software start-up ev.energy where he launched and grew the company’s North American business to include over a dozen utilities and 150,000 EVs.

Joseph Vellone

“Joseph’s leadership and track record operating cleantech start-ups is precisely what we need to make ChargeScape a success,” said current ChargeScape Board Chairman Shaun Bugbee (BMW), in the release.

Before joining ev.energy, Vellone worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group where he was part of the firm’s energy and environment practice. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the London School of Economics. While in high school, his student research on hydrogen fuel cells was recognized with honors from Congress and the White House.

“The U.S. has set ambitious targets for renewable energy deployment and EV adoption, and ChargeScape is here to bridge that gap between supply and demand of electricity,” said Vellone, in the release. “We want to transform EVs from a liability into an asset for the power grid and help deliver a clean transportation future for our country.”

Kalidindi Raju, who was named ChargeScape’s CTO, has more than 15 years of experience leading technology organizations and is a recognized leader in cloud architecture, artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, data engineering, and product development, the release says. He previously held senior leadership positions at Amazon, OATI, and other technology companies.

Raju holds a master’s in business administration from Texas A&M International and a bachelor’s in computer science and engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (India).

“Although the vehicle-grid integration market is expected to be highly competitive, our partnerships with the world’s largest automakers give us a significant edge,” he said, in the release. “With direct access to the vehicles, we enable utilities to optimize EV charging securely and reliably. We plan to fully leverage this key advantage.”

Ford, Honda, General Motors, Magna, and Toyota Motor North America have also sponsored a new program with Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) to ramp up the adoption of renewable energy across the automotive supply chain.

SP is an association of global automakers and suppliers. The “Transform: Auto” program was developed in partnership with sustainability and energy advisory company Trio (formerly Edison Energy), according to a news release from SP.

The goal is to reduce indirect emissions from the supply chain in the global automotive industry by providing suppliers with tailored guidance and dedicated support in the procurement of renewable energy for their products. It will be available beginning this fall at no cost to Tier 1 suppliers of Ford, GM, Honda, Magna, Toyota, and SP member companies, according to the release.

During the first year, “Transform: Auto” will support suppliers in procuring renewable energy in North America through voluntary green tariffs, onsite solar, community solar, utility-scale renewable energy power purchase agreements, and environmental attribute certificates, according to SP.

“This collaboration provides an opportunity to maximize collective impact at scale while improving efficiencies across the value chain,” the release states.

Images

Photos provided by ChargeScape