Charged EVs | Leap and ChargeScape envision a nationwide EV virtual power plant

Leap, a platform for building and scaling virtual power plants (VPPs), and ChargeScape, a joint venture of Ford, Honda, BMW and Nissan that provides managed charging to EV owners, have announced a new partnership to accelerate EV participation in grid services programs. Together, the companies aim to build “the nation’s largest EV virtual power plant.”

ChargeScape provides a unified EV charging platform that connects power grids with automotive brands including BMW, Ford, Honda, Nissan and Tesla. Leap’s software-only solution is designed to offer fast, automated access to energy markets, making it easy for EVs and other distributed energy resources (DERs) to participate in a wide range of demand response and other grid services programs through a universal interface.

The partnership aims to offer new revenue opportunities for EV owners both through smart charging—reducing power usage during periods of peak grid demand—and through bidirectional power export, including vehicle-to-grid (V2G) applications. Through streamlined access to the California wholesale market, automakers on the ChargeScape platform can earn new revenue in Resource Adequacy and the Emergency Load Reduction Program (ELRP), in addition to the statewide Demand Side Grid Support (DSGS) program.

“Joining forces with Leap will allow ChargeScape to offer new revenue streams to the automakers using our platform,” said Joseph Vellone, CEO of ChargeScape. “More than that, we’re delighted to be able to put money back in the pockets of EV drivers across America and do our part to make EV ownership more affordable and accessible.”

“Partnering with ChargeScape expands Leap’s network of automakers and enhances our ability to tap into previously inaccessible EV assets,” said Jason Michaels, CEO of Leap. “By combining Leap’s market automation platform with ChargeScape’s direct automaker integration capabilities, we’re accelerating EV participation in VPPs at a time when the grid needs it most.”

After launching in California, the companies plan to extend coverage to other regions of the US.

Source: ChargeScape