ChargeScape Vehicle-Grid Integration JV Begins Operations

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BMW, Ford and Honda have begun operation of their new joint venture ChargeScape today ChargeScape also appointed the first CEO and CTO. (Read AutoInformed.com on EV Grid Unlock – BMW, Ford, Honda Create ChargeScape) As more Americans switch to EVs, cheaper fueling costs have become top-of-mind for drivers, particularly while charging at home where 80% of EV charging occurs according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates. The nation’s power grids have come under increasing strain due to electricity demand from data centers and the intermittent nature of  current renewable technologies.

“ChargeScape is a software platform that integrates electric vehicles (EVs) into the power grid, shoring up grid stability while saving drivers money on their charging, the companies – all of them global giants – said in a joint release.

“ChargeScape’s technology 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,” ChargeScape claimed ex ante.

ChargeScape is an evolution of the automakers’ work on smart charging through the so-called Open Vehicle-Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP), which counts multi-state utilities such as Duke Energy, Xcel Energy and Eversource Energy as clients.

BMW, Ford and Honda announced the appointment of ChargeScape’s first CEO, Joseph Vellone. Vellone was most recently part of the founding team at software start-up ev.energy, where he launched and increased the company’s North America business to include more than a dozen utilities and 150,000 EVs.

“Joseph’s leadership and track record operating cleantech start-ups is precisely what we need to make ChargeScape a success,” said current ChargeScape Board Chairman Shaun Bugbee of BMW.

Before joining ev.energy, Vellone worked as a management consultant at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), where he was part of the firm’s energy and environment practice. He is a graduate of Princeton University and the London School of Economics. While in high school, his student research on hydrogen fuel cells was recognized with honors from Congress and the White House.

“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,” said Vellone. “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.”

Newly appointed ChargeScape Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Kalidindi Raju has more than 15 years of experience leading technology organizations and is said to be a recognized leader in cloud architecture, artificial intelligence, machine learning, analytics, data engineering and product development. He previously held senior leadership positions at Amazon, OATI and other technology companies. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Texas A&M International and a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela (India).

“Although the vehicle-grid integration market is expected to be highly competitive, our partnerships with the world’s largest automakers gives us a significant edge. With direct access to the vehicles, we enable utilities to optimize EV charging securely and reliably,” said Raju. “We plan to fully leverage this key advantage.”