Software company EnergyHub and auto major Toyota Motor North America are collaborating on a program to shift EV charging load away from times of peak electricity demand.
Aiming to help keep the power grid reliable, the partnership includes direct integration with EnergyHub’s platform to enable Toyota and Lexus drivers to take advantage of utility programs.
The programs are designed to reduce the charging costs for EV customers while helping utilities ensure grid reliability and accelerate decarbonization.
Customers of utilities that partner with EnergyHub will be able to access several types of EV programs, depending on what is available for their vehicles, including managed charging, vehicle-to-grid, EV-specific time-of-use rates, off-peak rebates, and EV data programs designed to support infrastructure planning.
This allows EV owners to unlock rebates to offset the price of installing eligible EV charging equipment and incentives for shifting charging based on system-wide and localized grid constraints.
“Empowering our Toyota and Lexus EV customers with cost-effective energy solutions that reduce emissions and contribute to the grid underscores Toyota’s commitment to sustainable mobility,” said James George, general manager of EV Charging Solutions at Toyota. “Our collaboration with EnergyHub is an important step forward in enabling an exceptional customer experience within a home energy ecosystem.”
Shifting EV charging load away from times of peak electricity demand helps keep the grid reliable and can enable utilities to defer infrastructure investments that would otherwise be needed to meet increased demand for electricity as transportation electrification accelerates. This helps keep rates low for all customers.
Maryland-based Potomac Edison is the first EnergyHub utility client to enable customers to enroll Toyota and Lexus vehicles via EnergyHub’s platform and the platform is planning to expand participation into additional utility programs later this year.
“Our collaboration with Toyota is a key milestone in EnergyHub’s effort to maximize customer choice through the largest ecosystem of EV OEM and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) partners,” said Matt Johnson, VP of Business Development at EnergyHub.
“This integration accelerates our work to improve the overall EV ownership experience while unlocking grid service value for our utility clients.”
Originally published in Smart Energy International.
