Latest news with #ChargeScape
Forbes
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Forbes
How Energy Companies Can Leverage EVs To Prevent Summer Blackouts
Joseph serves as CEO of ChargeScape, an automotive joint venture to make EV charging cheaper and simpler for Americans. With summer well underway, America's aging power grid is under mounting pressure from two converging forces: around-the-clock electricity demand from AI data centers and short-term but intense spikes in usage driven by air conditioning during heat waves. Without smarter energy management strategies, some regions could experience rolling blackouts like those witnessed in California in August 2020. Indeed, the North American Reliability Council (NERC) predicts that 100 million Americans live in a part of the power grid at elevated risk for blackouts this summer. And beyond the sheer inconvenience of power outages, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that they cost the American economy up to $70 billion per year. Summer blackouts don't have to be an unavoidable inconvenience that Americans are forced to endure. Recent innovations in technology mean that the U.S. power grid now has 100 GW of distributed energy resources (including batteries) that can be deployed to send power back to the grid when needed. Electric vehicles (EVs) are often called 'batteries on wheels,' and advancements in bidirectional charging technology mean that many EV drivers are now resilient to blackouts due to their vehicle's ability to provide backup power to their home; some EV drivers even earn money by selling battery power back to the grid when prices are high. Having worked in the EV space for over a decade, I am increasingly convinced that EVs can now be leveraged as an asset to help shore up the nation's aging power grid. Here are three steps that energy companies can take to harness EV flexibility and help keep the lights on this summer. 1. Leverage EVs To Reduce Demand During Peak Hours Utilities like PSEG Long Island run seasonal programs such as the System Peak Relief Program, which pay energy consumers to reduce their electricity demand for short periods, typically less than four hours, during periods when the power grid is overloaded, such as during a heat wave. EVs consume about as much power as the average American household, including air conditioning, and are being increasingly targeted by energy companies for their flexibility. For example, Eversource Energy offers EV drivers in Connecticut rebates for occasionally pausing or delaying their at-home charging. (Full disclosure: Eversource Energy is a partner of ChargeScape.) EVs are typically plugged in at home for 12-14 hours at a time but only require 2-3 hours of charge per session. EVs can therefore serve as a highly flexible source of electricity demand during heatwaves, when consumers are less likely to want to switch off their air conditioning in response to alerts from their local utility. 2. Enable Customer Self-Sufficiency And Resilience To Blackouts Automotive companies have made great strides to enable EVs to serve as a source of backup power. Energy companies can empower their customers to be self-sufficient during blackouts by harnessing the energy stored in their EV batteries to keep the lights on. For instance, the Ford F-150 Lightning can supply up to 19.2 kW of power—enough to power a typical American home for up to three days. In Michigan, for example, DTE Energy has partnered with Ford to pay customers $500 per year to coordinate charging and discharging during summer heatwaves to ensure customer resiliency during blackouts while supporting long-term grid stability. (Full disclosure: Ford is an investor in ChargeScape. DTE Energy is a partner of ChargeScape.) 3. Reward EV Drivers Who Export Power Back To The grid The California power grid cannot build new power plants fast enough and is turning to batteries and EVs to provide generation capacity in their place. In response, California's energy companies have launched programs such as Demand-Side Grid Support, which pays customers for their grid export between May and October each year. Companies such as Tesla now offer the program to their customers, offering them $350 per season, and electric fleet companies such as Xos are aggregating capacity from their trucks' mega-batteries to send power back to the grid. From Grid Strain To Grid Support As the strain on America's aging power grid intensifies, EVs represent a uniquely scalable, already-deployed solution that can be harnessed to improve grid reliability, reduce peak demand and provide backup power when it's needed most. The infrastructure is in place. The technology is ready. What's needed now is bold, collaborative action from utilities, automakers and policymakers to unleash the full potential of EVs as grid assets. By building smart incentive programs, investing in bidirectional charging infrastructure and empowering customers with tools to support both their homes and the grid, we can move from crisis response to proactive resilience. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Newsweek
23-07-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
New York Island Using EVs as Assets Rather Than Accept Them as Liabilities
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. U.S. power grid disruption from electric vehicle (EV) charging has long been a hot-button issue for proponents of hybrid and gasoline-powered cars. This concern has only elevated as adoption of battery-electric cars, trucks and SUVs grows. In a 2024 published essay documenting his research, Rabobank's energy transition specialist Amit Mathrani said that, "The rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in the US could add between 100TWh and 185TWh to national electricity demand by 2030, representing between 2.5 percent to 4.6 percent of anticipated total consumption." New York's Long Island is taking steps to avoid brownouts and blackouts that could be caused by an influx of EV charging. "PSEG Long Island, like many utilities across the country, has seen growing EV adoption in its service territory over the past few years. EV charging can pose unique challenges to a power utility because it tends to be clustered in specific hotspots, such as a public charging station or a residential street in an affluent area. This means that multiple EVs may be drawing power from a very specific part of the grid infrastructure simultaneously, which can cause blackouts, brownouts, or other service disruptions," Joseph Vellone, CEO of ChargeScape, told Newsweek. The utility company has partnered with ChargeScape, a joint venture between BMW, Honda, Ford and Nissan, to "leverage the tens of thousands of EVs across Long Island as an asset for the power grid, rather than accept them as a potential liability," Vellone said. A 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance charging. A 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance charging. Ford Motor Company ChargeScape's app pays EV drivers who have flexibility in charging to charge their vehicles at a time that optimizes power load on the grid to maintain reliability and avoid service disruptions. In exchange for their flexibility, customers receive cash payment, payable directly to their Venmo or PayPal accounts. The artificial intelligence-powered app originally was only offered to those driving BMW and Ford EVs, but is expanding to other customers this summer. Long Island isn't the only place ChargeSpace's algorithms are in use. "ChargeScape delivers similar services to some of the country's largest power utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, Puget Sound Energy, Xcel Energy, DTE Energy, and Eversource Energy," Vellone said. How does the ChargeSpace app work? Integration between the ChargeSpace app, home, vehicle and automaker app is intended to be seamless. When at home, an EV driver plugs in their vehicle, opens the automaker's app (which they already use to manage their vehicle) and sets a departure time and battery level for the vehicle. Based on those parameters, ChargeScape uses its computing to obtain real-time grid conditions and forecasts to calculate a grid-optimal charging schedule. When the driver is ready to go, they can rest assured that their vehicle is charged to those specifications and get paid for the ease. Vellone encourages EV owners who use the app to "set it and forget it" while they reap the cash rewards.
Axios
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Electric cars could earn while their owners sleep
ChargeScape is one way automakers are trying to smooth the transition to electric vehicles by shoring up the nation's power grid and saving drivers money on charging. Why it matters: As electric vehicle ownership grows, charging risks putting an extra strain on the grid at certain times of the day. Imagine turning that problem around by using EVs to support the grid during peak demand instead. The big picture: About 80% of EV charging occurs at home, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates. At the same time, the nation's power grids have come under increasing strain due to electricity demand from data centers and the intermittent nature of renewables. ChargeScape, a joint venture by BMW, Ford, Honda and Nissan, aims to address that problem while helping customers recoup some of the costs of owning an EV. How it works: ChargeScape's software allows EVs to communicate with utilities while they're plugged in, managing the flow of electrons to match real-time conditions on the power grid. During the late afternoon, for example, when energy demand is high, ChargeScape can temporarily pause or slow EV charging through its smart charging software. Smart thermostats do the same thing in your home by shutting off the AC for a minute or two. Driving the news: In California, ChargeScape just announced a partnership with an energy platform called Leap to create the nation's largest EV virtual power plant to help manage peak summer demand. It can draw energy out of a vehicle and send it back into the power grid when needed, using vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Some Ford and Nissan vehicles have bidirectional charging today, and others will soon. Follow the money: In return for their flexibility, EV drivers get rewarded with sign-up bonuses and discounts on their home electric bill. Incentives vary by utility, but in Sacramento, for instance, the local utility pays BMW EV owners a $150 incentive for enrolling in BMW's ChargeForward program, and a recurring $20 reward each quarter. With bidirectional power-sharing, EV drivers could earn up to $3,000 per year, and some utilities offer up to a $4,000 one-time incentive to help cover the cost of the bidirectional charging equipment, says ChargeScape CEO Joseph Vellone. Yes, but: Importantly, the EV owner is assured that their vehicle will be fully charged by the time they specify. "You think we're managing your charging aggressively," says Alexander Schleicher, who heads up e-mobility and charging strategy for BMW. "But that's not the case. We're shifting charging for maybe 30 minutes through the night." Where it stands: The program is young, but ChargeScape is already working with about a dozen utilities, covering 25 million U.S. households.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Electric Vehicles Update - Strategic Partnership Boosts Grid Capacity With EV Integration
Leap and ChargeScape have announced a strategic partnership focused on enhancing electric vehicle (EV) integration into U.S. electric grids. By building the nation's largest EV virtual power plant, the initiative aims to boost grid capacity and provide financial benefits to EV owners. ChargeScape's platform, which connects power grids with major automakers, will work with Leap's market automation technology to facilitate EV participation in various grid services. This collaboration not only offers new revenue streams for automakers but also seeks to make EV ownership more affordable, while strengthening grid resiliency and extending market access across the country. In other market news, was a notable mover up 6.5% and closing at THB114.00. Meanwhile, trailed, down 6% to end the day at ¥1,892. Ford's strategic shift to electric vehicles and software services might position it for high-margin growth. Explore the full narrative on Ford Motor Company's transformation and market potential by clicking here. Don't miss our Market Insights article, "Automakers Caught In The Tariff Crossfire," where we urgently explored the impact of tariffs on the electric vehicle market and investment opportunities therein. finished trading at $334.07 up 4.9%. closed at HK$414.60 up 4.7%, near its 52-week high. settled at $10.60 up 0.5%. Two days ago, a proposal regarding supply chain GHG emissions was not approved by Ford shareholders. Unlock our comprehensive list of 54 EV Stocks like Lucid Group, Hyundai MobisLtd and Li Auto by clicking here. Curious About Other Options? The end of cancer? These 24 emerging AI stocks are developing tech that will allow early idenification of life changing disesaes like cancer and Alzheimer's. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sources: Simply Wall St "Leap and ChargeScape Aim to Build the Nation's Largest EV Virtual Power Plant" from ChargeScape on GlobeNewswire (published 14 May 2025) Companies discussed in this article include SET:DELTA NasdaqGS:TSLA SEHK:1211 NYSE:F and TSE:7202. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Partnership Reduces Grid Stress And Pays EV Owners
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA - AUGUST 30: The sun shines over towers carrying electical lines in South ... More San Francisco, California. (Photo by) A new partnership aims to reduce the strain on the power grid while boosting electric vehicle adoption by putting money back in the pockets of EV owners. The partnership between Leap and ChargeScape will create the nation's largest EV virtual power plant, the companies announced Wednesday. A virtual power plant, or VPP, combines the capacity of what's known as distributed energy resources such as solar farms, EVs and EV chargers, batteries, household appliances, heating and ventilation equipment and others that can be flexibly charged or accessed to provide power back to the grid. When effectively managed, a VPP can provide some of the same services as a traditional power plant. Graphic shows how the concept of virtual power plants, or VPPs, works. Leap specializes in creating and managing VPPs, providing financial reward for its partners. 'What we're enabling our partners to do is monetize what we call their flexibility, their ability to control load behind the meter, control these stationary batteries, or mobile batteries and EVs, and monetize them as capacity and energy for grid operators,' explained Leap CEO Jason Michaels, in an interview. Graphic explains payment arrangement using virtual power plants. ChargeScape's charging platform connects power grids with automotive brands that include BMW, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Tesla, also providing financial rewards to EV owners for their flexibility in charging their vehicles. Owners sign up through the automaker's app such as Ford Pass or My BMW, which they already use to manage charging their EVs, then enroll their electric meter with Leap. 'So we deliver all of these electric vehicles from all these automotive brands and all the flexibility that comes with their residential charging, and we plug that into Leap, and we sort of become part of their overall portfolio that they then bid into these energy markets to deliver flexibility,' said ChargeScape CEO Joseph Vellone, in an interview. 'Leap will then tell us we need to either reduce demand during these hours on this day or actually the power grid needs more power. How much can we export through vehicle-to-grid charges? Leaps makes sure that we get paid in the end.' EV owners are then paid directly by ChargeScape through Venmo or PayPal. The results are managing the strain on the power grid, especially during peak load periods such as the heat of summer when air conditioners are in high use and making it financially attractive to own and EV, say both Vellone and Michaels. 'At the end of the day, we are saving Americans money on their EV charging,' said Vellone. 'By making EV charging more affordable, we are making EV ownership or leasing more affordable, reducing the total cost of ownership.' The two systems are connected through Leap's API and it's that connectivity and complementary capabilities that has Michaels especially enthusiastic about partnering with ChargeScape. 'ChargeScape is a really exciting partner for us because of both their technical ability to be able to control the charging of all these different customer devices and their EVs, and also their reach and association with their OEM partners,' Michaels said. 'That's where I think this gets to be really exciting for everybody, because we can do this, not just for one utility program, but really unlock scale.' The partnership is rolling out initially in California where automakers on the ChargeScape platform can earn additional revenue through the Emergency Load Reduction Program, a five-year pilot program designed to pay electricity consumers for reducing energy consumption or increasing electricity supply during periods of electrical grid emergencies. Revenue is also available through California's Demand Side Grid Support program which offers incentives to electric customers that provide load reduction and backup generation to support the state's electrical grid during extreme events from May to October to reduce the risk of rotating power outages. Beyond California, the partners plan to expand to states such as Texas and New York, which Vellone says, have similar power structures to California's along with a high number of electric vehicles.
