Ford Backed ChargeScape Officially Begins Operations

Roughly one year ago, Ford announced that it was teaming up with rivals BMW and Honda to create a new company called ChargeScape, which is designed to optimize the power grid. ChargeScape is intended to create a single, cost-effective platform connecting electric utilities, automakers, and interested electric vehicle customers, providing utilities with access to EV battery energy and compensating EV owners for giving them that access, as well as charging during off-peak hours. Now, those efforts are officially underway.

ChargeScape uses technology that wirelessly connects to electric vehicles and, working with participating utilities, manages the flow of electrons in line with real-time grid conditions, temporarily reducing demand when the grid is constrained through smart charging (V1G) and even sending energy back into the power 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.

Along with its official launch, ChargeScape also announced that it has appointed its very first CEO – Joseph Vellone. Vellone has spent the last 15 years working in the energy and climate sectors, most recently serving as part of the team that founded the software startup known as ev.energy – which has grown to include over a dozen U.S. utility companies and 150,000 EVs. “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,” Vellone said. “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.”

Of course, the concept of financially rewarding EV owners for giving power back to the grid and charging during off-peak hours is nothing new, as it’s something that Ford is working on via several other partnerships as well. That includes the very first vehicle-to-home powerplant program in Maryland, a new program for Southern California Edison (SCE) customers in that state, and a third partnership with TXU Energy in Texas.