High-Profile Automakers Join Forces To Keep America's Power Grid Stable

As the EV adoption rate in the US increases, concerns about a power grid collapse are being raised like never before. Ford has already expressed its desire to utilize vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology to help out. Now, BMW and Honda are joining the Blue Oval in forming a new company called ChargeScape.

ChargeScape will establish a cost-effective Open Vehicle-Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP), connecting utility companies, automakers, and EV owners.

According to a ChargeScape press release, working together enables these automakers to reach more EV customers. Each automaker has its own way of communicating with its customers, even those who do not charge at home. Beyond management of charge scheduling, utility companies can also use the platform to identify EV customers within their area.

ChargeScape is still pending regulatory approvals, but the three founding companies are inviting other brands to join. Operations are expected to commence next year.

The platform wants to streamline the complex logistics surrounding energy sharing, eliminating the need for each company to negotiate countless agreements with utility providers. Instead, utilities will access data from various EVs through a unified platform developed by ChargeScape.

In other words, ChargeScape's platform can securely provide utility companies overseeing North America's grid access to a vast reservoir of energy stored in electric vehicle batteries.

ChargeScape also claims it can collect energy consumption data from EVs connected to the grid during charging, thereby supplying utility companies with valuable aggregated insights. These insights can be harnessed to enhance energy efficiency and better understand peak demand periods.

Through ChargeScape, EV owners will have the opportunity to reap financial benefits through managed charging and energy-sharing services that were previously unavailable to traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.

EV owners who charge at "grid-friendly" times will get a financial incentive, per ChargeScape's initial plan. The press release didn't specify what financial benefits would be given, though it's important to note that charging during off-peak hours is cheaper. It will not stop there, though, as EV owners will eventually get to "sell" their EV charges back to the grid through V2G technology, which ChargeScape aims to facilitate.

EV owners also get to reduce their carbon footprint, with ChargeScape playing a role in decarbonizing the grid and providing electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar.

ChargeScape pointed out that customers will still have control of managing their stored energy and charging schedules. However, the key to this project's success is EV customers and utility companies working together seamlessly.

It's an ideal scenario. Three automakers, essentially rivals for Americans' hard-earned money, working together for one goal sounds like a pipe dream, but it's happening. A single platform facilitating interaction between customers, automakers, and utility companies is a welcome feat, especially for power grid management, but some questions must be addressed.

In a country where privacy is a primary concern, are customers willing to provide access to their energy usage data? Sure, the premise is that data will be transmitted securely, but we've heard those things before... And a recent report proved just how unsafe your data is in America.

Moreover, the financial incentives for EV users who will buy into the idea of ChargeScape need to be clarified. Off-peak charging rates are already low without the platform, so why bother joining if not for the perceived environmental benefits of clean energy?

And then there's the issue of V2G technology. Only a handful of companies - such as Ford, GM, and Hyundai - have bidirectional charging tech in their cars, with some already confirmed to follow suit. However, Tesla, one of the biggest EV makers in the US by sales, has yet to implement this in its cars.

Also, while ideal for everyone, giving your battery charge back to support the grid isn't an attractive proposition, as range anxiety is still very much a thing. We all know those who charge at home overnight expect to see their F-150 Lightning fully charged and ready to go in the morning.