Everyday Electric is expanding its residential virtual power plant (VPP) to include electric vehicles (EVs), using connected-vehicle technology to enable managed charging without requiring additional vehicle or charging hardware.
The company operates a VPP coordinating more than 6 GW of capacity across millions of homes. Its existing network has primarily focused on household energy devices, and the addition of EV connectivity extends that system to vehicle charging.
The capability comes through Everyday Electric’s acquisition of Smartcar, a connected-vehicle platform that provides software-based access to vehicle data and charging controls.
Smartcar’s EV platform can retrieve information directly from compatible vehicles, including battery state of charge and charging status. Its existing APIs also provide functions for remotely starting and stopping charging and setting charge limits.
For utility managed-charging programs, those vehicle connections can allow charging demand to be adjusted without requiring integration with a particular charging station or installation of additional aftermarket hardware.
Everyday Electric plans to incorporate the technology into the utility programs it operates and expand Smartcar’s existing direct integrations with automotive manufacturers.
The addition of EVs expands Everyday Electric’s VPP beyond its earlier focus on thermostats and HVAC systems. The company currently coordinates more than 6 GW of capacity across connected residential energy products.
Filed Under: Charging, Technology News