Honda unveils program that adjusts EV charging times to grid conditions
Honda recently introduced a new program that allows electric vehicle (EV) customers to find the best time to charge their cars based on electric grid conditions, which the company said will help reduce harmful emissions and cut costs.
The Honda SmartCharge beta program is the first of its kind, the automaker said, and will initially target Honda Fit EV customers in California before potentially expanding the program to other vehicles and other areas.
“Honda SmartCharge is uniquely able to shift electric vehicle charging in real-time without impacting the customer,” Steve Center, vice president of Connected and Environmental Business Development for American Honda Motor Co., Inc., said. “We believe the program will be a game changer with its ability to create new value for our customers, reduce demand on the grid during peak load times and help contribute to our company’s goal of reducing CO2 emissions.”
Honda SmartCharge computes the best time to charge a vehicle from the electric grid, taking into account the driver’s daily schedule, amount of renewable energy being generated, and the amount of CO2 emitted from power plants on the network. By recording the customer’s desired charging times, the system enables the vehicle to be fully charged when the customer needs it next without impacting their use of the vehicle.
The company explained that the Demand Response Provider for Honda SmartCharge, eMotorWerks, can interface with the California Independent System Operator to allow for real-time control via cloud to cloud communication, enabling EVs to participate in demand response events to support the grid.
With the Honda SmartCharge app, the automaker said Fit EV drivers can monitor their charging progress and access a scorecard feature tracking monetary rewards earned, CO2 saved and other stats related to customers’ participation in the program.
Honda has plans to make two-thirds of its global automobile sales from electrified vehicles by 2030.
