Network integration of electric vehicles: Nissan invests in ChargeScape
BMW, Ford, and Honda announced their plans for the joint venture ChargeScape in September 2023, which took form last month in September 2024. The business idea is to create a cost-effective platform for the grid integration of electric mobility, connecting energy suppliers with automakers and their electric vehicle customers in the USA and Canada. Nissan has now joined the team as the fourth shareholder. At the introduction of the plans, the founding members emphasized their openness to additional partners.
The goal of the soon-to-be quartet of shareholders is to fully unlock the potential of electric vehicles for power grids and offer EV owners financial benefits through a variety of charging and energy services managed on this platform. The core of the platform is based on years of cross-industry research around the so-called Open Vehicle-Grid Integration Platform (OVGIP), in which BMW, Ford, and Honda, among others, have been involved.
The new solution aims to eliminate the need for the previously bilateral agreements between automotive brands and energy suppliers. Through ChargeScape, the shareholders promise energy suppliers access to battery energy from a broad pool of electric vehicles and car customers, offering financial benefits through charging during ‘grid-friendly’ times. In addition to V1G—smart charging—the offering is also expected to enable V2G services, which involve feeding energy back from the vehicle into the grid.
The inclusion of Nissan in the ChargeScape alliance is considered particularly significant, as the company has sold more than 650,000 Leaf models in the USA, “one of the first EVs with the capability to export power back to the grid”, according to an accompanying statement. Nissan is heavily investing in bidirectional charging capabilities, and ChargeScape is currently developing virtual power plants in California, Texas, and other markets.
“We are delighted to welcome Nissan to the ChargeScape joint venture,” said Joseph Vellone, ChargeScape CEO. “Nissan’s decision to join us underscores their commitment to helping customers charge more cheaply and sustainably and highlights ChargeScape’s central position in the vehicle-grid integration space.”
“ChargeScape helps us more conveniently and effectively connect utilities to EV drivers, making the ownership experience more valuable for drivers by giving them incentives for participating in managed charging and vehicle-to-grid programs,” said Kent O’Hara, president of Nissan’s 4R battery business. “Joining ChargeScape helps us contribute to a nationwide reduction in CO2 emissions by enabling utilities to use EV battery energy storage to balance peak grid demands while optimizing the use of renewable electricity sources.”
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