AEP and Honda team up to find new use for old electric vehicle batteries

Honda joined forces with American Electric Power (AEP) this week on a mission to give new life to used electric vehicle (EV) batteries and to expand EV integration into the power grid.

Under the agreement, Honda will take used batteries from its short-lived Fit EV to AEP, which will study how best to integrate those systems into the electric grid. For the Ohio-based utility, it is the latest investigation into the implications of large-scale electrification, as it works to identify the best way to support the emerging mobility system. What AEP learns will be shared with Honda, so they can jointly develop new technology and industry standards for vehicle grid integration.

“Together with AEP, we are exploring opportunities to use the 2nd life battery to improve energy security, reduce CO2 and prepare for broad scale electrification of the transportation ecosystem,” Ryan Harty, manager of Connected and Environmental Business at American Honda Motor Co., said. “Neither automakers nor utilities can address these complex technical, policy and business issues alone.”

The project aims to address some challenges for the growing EV market. Managing demand will be a part of this, but increased renewable energy incorporation and the use of EV batteries as storage also require large-scale planning. Repurposing used EV batteries as additional power stores factors into this as a way to reduce strain on the power grid.

Evenings, for example, could become a source of power spikes, as increasing numbers of drivers charge up after work. Batteries could store energy in anticipation of such moments, bolstering supplies during lower demand hours or when solar and wind are generating the most energy.

The Edison Electric Institute (EEI) estimates there are more than 1 million electric vehicles in use nationwide, with another million EVs forecast over the next three years. Around 10,000 of these are in AEP’s service area alone.

The Honda Fit EV, launched in 2012, was an early part of the EV trend, boasting a 118 MPGe fuel economy when it debuted. It was later replaced by the Honda Clarity, but Honda wants to see its battery system find new use through helping cut CO2 emissions. Honda has set a goal of halving its CO2 emissions by 2050 and further electrifying its fleet. In fact, it wants two-thirds of its vehicles to be electrified in just over a decade.

AEP has said it is focused on deploying technologies that help address the opportunities that EVs present.

“AEP is focused on building a smarter, cleaner energy grid and putting in place new technologies that will benefit our customers. We are excited about the possibilities of this collaboration as we work to create the energy system for the future,” Ram Sastry, AEP’s vice president of Innovation and Technology, said.

AEP has been working to increase adoption of electric transportation in its service territory and provide charging options for its customers. Last April, the company said AEP Ohio received approval from regulators to implement an EV charging station incentive program. In 2018, 54 projects were approved through the program, which offers incentives for up to 375 charging stations at government properties, workplaces and multifamily housing developments.

AEP also has installed EV charging infrastructure at its corporate headquarters, with about 100 charging ports installed across the facilities and with more to come. According to the company, it is one of the largest workplace installations in the nation.