Electric vehicle technology continually improves, and Honda recently introduced another breakthrough in the EV technology world. At RE+ 25, the largest clean energy event in North America, Honda announced a comprehensive new energy management system that allows electric vehicles to act as generators when needed to supply other sources, such as a home, with power. Honda's technology will first appear on the Acura RSX, but Honda plans to extend the technology to more vehicles down the road.
About Honda's New Energy Management System
According to Honda, the biggest draw of its new energy management system is its ability to provide a bidirectional energy flow from an EV to a home. These technologies are called vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and vehicle-to-home (V2H). Honda envisions its vehicles as “virtual” power plants, allowing customers to store power in their cars or send excess power to their homes on demand. Additionally, the technology will allow for the selective use of power and charging. While the new system will first appear in the Acura RSX, Honda anticipates the technology extending to more of its electric vehicles in the future. Future electric vehicles produced by Honda and Acura, Honda says, will be able to self-charge during opportune times of the day when demand and therefore cost are lower. The vehicles can charge enough to supply all the power they need, and any additional power they accumulate can be sent back to the home or grid where they are charging. The goal is to offset the cost of homeowners' electric bills and provide a backup source of electricity in case power goes out.
Where Will the Technology Appear?
Currently, one utility company is adopting the technology on a trial basis. Honda's technology is being utilized by Southern California Edison (SCE), which agreed to test the new V2H and V2G system. This collaboration will help the automaker and the utility provider assess the capabilities of Honda's new system and make necessary adjustments and improvements. Along with SCE, Honda's new program, ChargeScape, has support from prominent automakers, including Ford, Nissan, and BMW. Honda has not yet announced whether other vehicles outside the Honda and Acura family can use ChargeScape technology. Additional information will still be available after the initial test with SCE. Eventually, participants in Honda's program can select more options for powering their home, including solar panels, backup batteries, and home energy monitors.
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