Sourcing Renewables  -  July 31, 2018

Honda rolls out SmartCharge beta

Honda has introduced a new SmartCharge™ beta program to Honda Fit EV customers as a way to permit these customers to charge their vehicle when electricity demand is low and when the availability of renewable energy is high.

A statement from the company explains how the program works:

"Using the vehicle telematics system and Enel X subsidiary eMotorWerks' JuiceNet software platform, Honda SmartCharge™ computes the best time to charge a vehicle from the electric grid, dynamically taking into account the driver's daily schedule, the amount of renewable energy being generated, and the amount of CO2 emitted from power plants on the grid. 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. As the Demand Response Provider (DRP) for Honda SmartCharge™, eMotorWerks interfaces with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) to allow for real-time control via cloud to cloud communication, enabling EVs to participate in demand response events to support the grid."

"Honda SmartCharge™ is uniquely able to shift electric vehicle charging in real-time without impacting the customer," said Steve Center, vice president, connected and environmental business development for American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "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."

Based on results of this beta program, Honda may expand it to other electrified vehicles, including the Clarity Electric and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid. The Honda SmartCharge™ program is currently available on Apple devices for select California customers, with plans to expand to other areas in the near future. Honda has already announced plans to plans to make two-thirds of its global automobile sales from electrified vehicles by 2030,

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