Intelligent communication between EVs and the grid

Car makers collaborate with utility companies

A successful transition to electric vehicle (EV) transport will require more than electric cars that perform well on the road. It will also require charging systems that fulfil the consumer’s needs.

The development of such systems can only be accomplished through collaboration between car makers and utility companies. The latter have to ensure that the appropriate charging technology is in place and that the national electric grid can support the increased demand.

Since drivers will need to be able to charge their vehicles wherever they are, smart charging meters will have to be installed in large numbers. Moreover, car makers and utility companies will have to agree on an industry standard to ensure that those meters communicate with all the EVs.

Ford developing vehicle-to-grid communication

Last August, Ford Motor Company announced that it has developed an intelligent vehicle-to-grid communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Ford is cooperating with thirteen U.S. utility companies for the testing of this system, including the Southern California Edison Company, which has the largest electric fleet in the USA. Ford received a $30 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to carry out extensive field testing. These tests will continue for three more years. The company plans to have its first plug-in hybrid EV Ford Escape for sale in 2012.

The Ford EVs will communicate with smart meters through a wireless network. The system uses an open communication standard, since many smart meter technologies are likely to exist alongside each other until an industry standard can be established.

Green electricity charging option

The new technology allows the vehicle operator to program when to recharge the vehicle, for how long, and at what utility rate — for example, only below a certain price threshold. It will also allow the driver to choose green electricity. If combined with smart meters that contain information on the energy mix of the electrical power, the car operator could choose to load the car during those periods when there is a high share of renewable energy on the grid. This facility could become an important selling point for eco-minded early adopters of electric vehicles.