Ford Testing Intelligent System for Plug-in Vehicle to Grid Communication to Manage Charging
18 August 2009
| The Ford PHEV charge settings user interface. Click to enlarge. |
Ford Motor Company has developed an intelligent vehicle-to-grid communications and control system for its plug-in hybrid electric vehicles that communicates directly with the electric grid. The new technology, which builds on Ford technologies such as SYNC, SmartGauge with EcoGuide and Ford Work Solutions—allows the vehicle operator to program when to recharge the vehicle, for how long and at what utility rate.
All 21 of Ford’s fleet of plug-in hybrid Escapes eventually will be equipped with the vehicle-to-grid communications technology. The first of the specially equipped plug-in hybrids has been delivered to American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio. Ford’s other utility partners’ vehicles will also be equipped with the communications technology.
Electric vehicles are an important element of our strategy for improving fuel economy and reducing CO2 emissions. This vehicle-to-grid communication technology is an important step in the journey toward the widespread commercialization of electric vehicles.
—Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chairman
| Ford’s PHEV vehicle-to-grid communications. Click to enlarge. |
When plugged in, the battery systems of these specially equipped plug-in hybrids can communicate directly with the electrical grid via smart meters provided by utility companies through wireless networking. Using the system, for example, a vehicle owner could choose to accept a charge only during off-peak hours between midnight and 6 a.m. when electricity rates are cheaper, or when the grid is using only renewable energy such as wind or solar power.
We are designing what plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles will be capable of in the future. Direct communication between vehicles and the grid can only be accomplished through collaboration between automakers and utility companies, which Ford and its partners are demonstrating with this technology.
—Greg Frenette, manager of Ford’s Battery Electric Vehicle Applications
Over the past two years, Ford and its energy industry partners have logged more than 75,000 miles on the plug-in hybrid test fleet. The plug-in hybrid research focuses on four primary areas: battery technology, vehicle systems, customer usage and grid infrastructure.
In 2007, Ford announced a partnership with Southern California Edison, the electric utility with the nation’s largest and most advanced electric vehicle fleet. The partnership is designed to explore ways to make plug-in hybrids more accessible to consumers, reduce petroleum-related emissions and understand issues related to connectivity between vehicles and the electric grid.
Since then, Ford and Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), an independent nonprofit organization, have expanded the partnership, with a three-year plan to develop and evaluate technical approaches for integrating PHEVs into the grid system, a key requirement to facilitate widespread adoption of the vehicles. (Earlier post.)
Ford’s key partners in this effort include:
- Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- US Department of Energy
- Southern California Edison
- New York Power Authority
- Consolidated Edison of New York
- American Electric Power of Columbus, Ohio
- Alabama Power of Birmingham, Ala.; and its parent, Atlanta-based Southern Company
- Progress Energy of Raleigh, N.C.
- DTE Energy of Detroit
- National Grid of Waltham, Mass.
- Pepco Holdings
- New York State Energy and Research Development Authority, a state agency
- Hydro-Québec, the largest electricity generator in Canada
Ford also has announced key collaborations with:
- Smith Electric Vehicles, Europe’s leading battery electric commercial vehicle upfitter engaged by Ford to help bring the Transit Connect battery electric vehicle, a small commercial van, to market in 2010
- Magna International, the supplier jointly developing the Ford Focus battery electric vehicle passenger car for 2011
- Johnson Controls-Saft, the battery supplier for Ford’s first production plug-in hybrid vehicle coming to market in 2012
Ford recently was selected for two grants from the Department of Energy under its fleet electrification program. The program is designed to accelerate viable commercial volumes of electrified vehicles and vehicle-to-grid infrastructure development.
One grant, for $30 million, will help fund Ford’s collaboration with utility partners across the nation with an expansion of a vehicle demonstration and grid integration program.
Ford also will receive a $62.7 million DOE grant for production of an electric-drive transaxle that could be used for hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles at Ford’s Van Dyke transmission manufacturing facility in Sterling Heights, Mich. This grant will be matched by Ford.
DOE grant funds also will support production of electric-drive system components at Ford supplier Magna, for the Ford Focus battery electric vehicle, as well as Johnson Controls-Saft, which will supply high-voltage batteries for Ford’s plug-in hybrid vehicle in 2012.
Isn't this like the fourth 'grid/internet based smart charging' system to be reported on this page? Looks like everyone's jumping on the bandwagon.
Posted by: ai_vin | 18 August 2009 at 01:00 PM
There are indeed a lot of schemes and project funded. Most will fall by the wayside. Such is progress.
Not enough information in the article, but this looks like a good approach.
We should avoid the mystic idea that PHEVs somehow require exotic new electrical infrastructures. They actually just need electricity.
Ford seems to simply be letting the driver somewhat control cost based upon an on-board computers advice and his own knowledge of when he will next operate the vehicle.
I would try to avoid that hard-wired information flow from smart meter to the vehicle. That imposes a standardization on both.
Perhaps the local utility should just broadcast coded local information to any PHEV with a computer ready to use it. Then way the PHEVs computer could have guidance even when it is not drawing electricity at a smart meter site.
Said broadcasting would use the existing wireless communication infrastructures. Those must be built anyway. The vehicle will know where it is with GPS, it will know what the driver wants, and it will know what the local utility is advising at the moment about cost profiles.
Posted by: Ken | 18 August 2009 at 05:35 PM
Much as we admire the Ford Motor Company and Bill Ford's leadership in hard times - his view of smart V2G is questionable. At some point this may be helpful - but only for the utilities and the utilities are the next big energy barons. There was recent mention of V2H which seems a lot more practical for a number of reasons.
If you had a full off-grid Residential Power Unit generating your heat and electric in a modest single family home - plugging your 16-30kW car battery in for charging/backup power would be sensible. In a generator failure it could be enough to provide backup power until repairs were finished.
For all the hype these announcements give - there is little meat involved. WHAT "smarts" does it take to charge off peak? A timer. IF the util is selling renewable energy alone most offer it at a premium - and you have to wonder whose checking their numbers. IF the grid offers multiple energy vendors delivered across the grid - then V2G has more merit. If vendor rates fluctuate and your EV is instructed to hunt and charge from the lowest cost - the high cost fo the whole scheme MIGHT be recoverable. Might.
Posted by: sulleny | 19 August 2009 at 12:11 AM
"WHAT "smarts" does it take to charge off peak?"
A smart charger does more than that; it can also measure the feedback from the battery and control how much energy goes in and how fast and maybe even control amps against volts, etc. Result: You can minimize charge time and/or increase cycle life.
Posted by: ai_vin | 19 August 2009 at 09:53 AM
Right. That's all built-in to the onboard chargers on any decent EV. Why do we need all the outboard, grid-based stuff?? What concrete BENEFIT does it bring to the EV owner??
Posted by: sulleny | 21 August 2009 at 12:11 AM
Sooner or latter, PHEV & BEV chargers, may they be on-board or fixed, should be standardized with enough built-in flexibility to accept various input voltages, ajustable rates of charge, etc.
It could be done much quicker in Europe due to existing EU effective regulating bodies. Standardized 3-phase 380/440 VAC 50/60 Hz system is possible in EU for domestic and commercial quick charge stations.
The rest of the world, including USA and Canada, is more problematic. A dual standard, (a) single phase 115/230 VAC, 50/60 Hz for slow domestic chargers and (b) a 3-phase 440/660 VAC 50/60 Hz for commercial quick charging stations may be a possibility.
Will future PHEVs and BEVs and chargers/charging stations be available with various standardized options to alow travels in countries with very different electric power configurations? Aircraft and Airlines have done it.
Computers, G-3 and G-4 cell phones are examples to follow.
Posted by: HarveyD | 21 August 2009 at 08:29 AM