[Jason]

BMW, Ford and Honda Agree to Create ChargeScape, a New Company Focused on Optimizing Electric Vehicle Grid Services.

12.09.2023 PRESS RELEASE

TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 12, 2023 – BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers. Benefiting both EV customers and the electric utility industry in the U.S. and Canada, ChargeScape will unlock entirely new value that EVs can provide to the electric grid, while enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services never before possible with traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

• ChargeScape will aim to unlock the full potential of electric vehicle (EV) technology through conveniently managed energy services never before possible with gasoline-powered vehicles – benefiting EV customers, electric utilities and automakers.
• BMW Group, Ford and Honda will leverage years of cross-industry research around the Open Vehicle-Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP) to create a single platform that will seamlessly connect electric utilities, automakers and their interested EV customers to manage energy usage for a broad pool of EVs.
• ChargeScape will aim to provide EV customers financial benefits through EV-enabled grid services, as well as reduce EV customers’ personal carbon footprints while supporting grid resiliency.
• TORRANCE, Calif., Sept. 12, 2023 – BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. today announced that they have entered into an agreement to create ChargeScape, LLC, a new equally-owned company that will create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers and interested electric vehicle customers. Benefiting both EV customers and the electric utility industry in the U.S. and Canada, ChargeScape will unlock entirely new value that EVs can provide to the electric grid, while enabling EV customers to earn financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services never before possible with traditional gasoline-powered vehicles. The closing of the transaction and subsequent formation of ChargeScape is pending regulatory approvals, with the company expected to be operational early next year.

Building on years of OVGIP cross-industry collaboration, ChargeScape’s single platform will eliminate the need for individual integrations between each automotive brand and each electric utility. ChargeScape’s platform will give electric utilities access to EV battery energy across a wide pool of EVs. Participating 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 even more significant impact by sharing the energy stored in their EV batteries with the grid during times of peak demand through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications.

ChargeScape will enable the smart use of plugged-in EV batteries by securely providing energy data to electric utilities and system operators like aggregated demand response, alignment of charging and EV battery utilization with off-peak, low-cost hours and the availability of high renewable energy. Due to the efficient integration with participating automakers and the anticipation of high levels of EV customer enrollment, these energy services are expected to be a cost-efficient, operational benefit for electric utilities.

Transformational Opportunity for EV Customers and Electric Utilities

The development of this project comes at a time when electric vehicle sales and infrastructure growth are ramping up quickly, bringing new opportunities to address challenges for the electric grid. More EVs on the road means increased electricity demand on utilities to charge them. ChargeScape aims to provide energy management services to help support grid resiliency while looking ahead to the future of V2G capabilities that will benefit both EV customers and electric utilities.

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 that comes from more readily available renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. While seamless integration between EV customers and utilities will be key to energy management success, participating EV customers will always remain in control of their charging and energy decisions.

“Electric grid reliability and sustainability are the foundation for an EV powered future,” said Thomas Ruemenapp, Vice President, Engineering, BMW of North America, LLC. “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.”

“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 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.”

Benefits of Working Together

ChargeScape, along with the work done to date through OVGIP, will bring managed charging benefits to more EV customers and can eliminate marketing and outreach costs for utilities trying to reach their individual customer bases. BMW Group, Ford Motor Company and American Honda have direct, multi-channel communication with their EV customers, solving a central problem for utilities that typically do not know or have an easy and cost-effective way to identify the EV customers in their service territory.

Additionally, by leveraging automaker telematics, ChargeScape intends to provide managed charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity without requiring Wi-Fi-enabled charging stations. This will support the many EV customers who do not use “smart” chargers at home, as their EVs would otherwise be unreachable for grid services.

The three founding members welcome other automakers to join in and fully unlock opportunities provided by ChargeScape’s grid service offerings once the company is fully operational.

[sittingmongoose]

All those ev Hondas out there will help this initiative take off for sure!!

[M3WC]

How many times could an article say "grid resiliency"? So will this be an opt in or out program for EV customers?

Not all are going to want to let utilities have access to vehicle battery pack via vehicle-to-grid capabilities.

Honestly in the future...if I have solar, home battery packs, EV's...I will be fully off grid. Utilities can bugger off.

[Bimmerfun82]

Stop talking about it and DO it already. You are 11 years and 50,000 superchargers behind tesla. Let’s go

[M3WC]

Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82

Stop talking about it and DO it already. You are 11 years and 50,000 superchargers behind tesla. Let’s go

This isn't about building out superchargers. ChargeScape is about assisting utilities with electrical grid via V2G using your EV''s battery pack, while also telling you when you are allowed to charge.

"...financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services."

"...financial benefits by charging at “grid-friendly” times through flexible and managed schedules."

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by M3WC

This isn't about building out superchargers. ChargeScape is about assisting utilities with electrical grid via V2G using your EV''s battery pack, while also telling you when you are allowed to charge.

"...financial benefits through a variety of managed charging and energy-sharing services."

"...financial benefits by charging at “grid-friendly” times through flexible and managed schedules."

Ok. So it’s another copy paste of tesla.

I hear about these partnerships on a regular basis. I don’t have time to read all the fine print. I reiterate - let’s go. Build a network that I can use. Until BMW does, it’s ICE for me from BMW

[M3ZCPNYC]

What tangled webs we weave

[M3ZCPNYC]

Can anyone tell me what powers the charging system? What energy converts to electricity in order to charge EV vehicles? Anyone? Anyone?

[cfm56d7b]

Entirely anticipated. The economies of scale and standardization (as a result of regulatory pressure) are the main drivers behind this announcement.

[playswcars]

Watch it flop

[Buketz]

Read that entire article, I have no idea what it said. All I know is I don’t want to spend as much money as I do with bmw and get some Tesla rip off. I want a sports car with some personality and EV’s have no soul

[Bimmerfun82]

Just read this again. What the heck? I connect to my power grid in my garage with a plug. I don’t need a middle man making margin off me. There is no way Ga power and other utility companies are going to find value in whatever this conglomerate is seeking to create. But what do I know

[forcefed]

Originally Posted by sittingmongoose

All those ev Hondas out there will help this initiative take off for sure!!

They're rebadging the gm ev as fast as they can!

[sittingmongoose]

So a major concern for me is, charge cycles on the battery. This will add more charge cycles to your EVs battery which will wear out your battery faster. Which I guess is a good thing for car manufacturers since they get to sell you a new car when you figure out a new battery costs 25k…

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by forcefed

They're rebadging the gm ev as fast as they can!

Isn’t that the truth ❕

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by M3ZCPNYC

Can anyone tell me what powers the charging system? What energy converts to electricity in order to charge EV vehicles? Anyone? Anyone?

If you read the article, you’d see the initiative calls for greatly expanding the use of solar and wind (and other renewables).

Either way, EVs are far more efficient than ICE vehicles, even when accounting for the respective fossil fuel which may be needed to provide the electricity.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by sittingmongoose

So a major concern for me is, charge cycles on the battery. This will add more charge cycles to your EVs battery which will wear out your battery faster. Which I guess is a good thing for car manufacturers since they get to sell you a new car when you figure out a new battery costs 25k…

That’s now how charging cycles work in relation to battery longevity. When you look at figures related to that, they are expressed in full (0-100%) cycles.

Actually, charging more frequently PRESERVES the longevity of the battery, because it is the long charges (e.g. 10-80% charges) which cause the most damage to the battery.

[sittingmongoose]

Originally Posted by jmack123

That’s now how charging cycles work in relation to battery longevity. When you look at figures related to that, they are expressed in full (0-100%) cycles.

Actually, charging more frequently PRESERVES the longevity of the battery, because it is the long charges (e.g. 10-80% charges) which cause the most damage to the battery.

You will be degrading your battery even going between 60-80% cosntantly. It still wears the cells out.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82

Just read this again. What the heck? I connect to my power grid in my garage with a plug. I don’t need a middle man making margin off me. There is no way Ga power and other utility companies are going to find value in whatever this conglomerate is seeking to create. But what do I know

It’s about grid resiliency. All I’ve heard from everyone on this forum is, “how is the electric grid going to support all these EVs”. Now there is a viable solution, and the reaponse is that there is no value in it?

It’s oretty simple, the grid makes money off those who want to sell some of their excess electrical capacity back to it at peak hours. In return, the grid gets a source of alternative energy to offset peak demand. I mean, this isn’t rocket science. Not hard to figure out why that is in fact a valuable proposition.

[Bimmerfun82]

Originally Posted by jmack123

It’s about grid resiliency. All I’ve heard from everyone on this forum is, “how is the electric grid going to support all these EVs”. Now there is a viable solution, and the reaponse is that there is no value in it?

It’s oretty simple, the grid makes money off those who want to sell some of their excess electrical capacity back to it at peak hours. In return, the grid gets a source of alternative energy to offset peak demand. I mean, this isn’t rocket science. Not hard to figure out why that is in fact a valuable proposition.

Yeah, but it’s up to the utility company. Here ga power doesn’t pay for peak electricity off your solar or stored power. It’s a complex problem, and I don’t expect BMW to solve it for me. Anyway, the “grid” already exists. What is a third party going to do? Negotiate something with utilities? This reads like some lawyers and business development people got in a room, got all excited, and published this “me too!” PR.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by sittingmongoose

You will be degrading your battery even going between 60-80% cosntantly. It still wears the cells out.

Again, not true. Really, the main things that cause the greatest impact are charging or discharging to extremes frequently and/or significant charges from extreme to extreme.

One of the key battery management strategies is actually MORE frequent charges such that the battery is kept within the middle of the pack as much as possible.

[jmack123]

Originally Posted by Bimmerfun82

Yeah, but it’s up to the utility company. Here ga power doesn’t pay for peak electricity off your solar or stored power. It’s a complex problem, and I don’t expect BMW to solve it for me. Anyway, the “grid” already exists. What is a third party going to do? Negotiate something with utilities? This reads like some lawyers and business development people got in a room, got all excited, and published this “me too!” PR.

To your first point, once EV adoption is sufficiently high, and peak power will be more necessary, make no mistake, those companies WILL pay for peak power.

To your second point, you need to read the article. Clearly, this is more than the lawyers and PR, it appears to be a technical solution:
“ChargeScape’s platform will give electric utilities access to EV battery energy across a wide pool of EVs….Additionally, by leveraging automaker telematics, ChargeScape intends to provide managed charge scheduling through vehicle connectivity without requiring Wi-Fi-enabled charging stations. This will support the many EV customers who do not use “smart” chargers at home, as their EVs would otherwise be unreachable for grid services.”