USA Today
Ford Motor and Microsoft say they are going to roll out a system that will tell electric-car owners the optimal time to recharge their vehicles. The system was announced at the New York International Auto Show.
The "Microsoft Hohm" system would start with the all-electric Ford Focus compact car, which goes on sale late next year, says Ford CEO Alan Mulally, and via a remote presentation, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The system is needed, they say, because electric cars will be the biggest energy drain in a typical household, so recharging car batteries needs to be managed. Ford and Microsoft already collaborate on the Sync in-car connectivity system for remote devices such as cellphones.
Utilities using the system would be able to vary electric rates based on time of day. A computer would determine the best time to recharge the car at the lowest cost. Ford says it might even develop a iPhone app that would allow owners to manage recharging remotely.
Charging an electric car can double the energy used at a home, and utilities worry about the increased burden on their power generators.
The "Microsoft Hohm" system would start with the all-electric Ford Focus compact car, which goes on sale late next year, says Ford CEO Alan Mulally, and via a remote presentation, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
The system is needed, they say, because electric cars will be the biggest energy drain in a typical household, so recharging car batteries needs to be managed. Ford and Microsoft already collaborate on the Sync in-car connectivity system for remote devices such as cellphones.
Utilities using the system would be able to vary electric rates based on time of day. A computer would determine the best time to recharge the car at the lowest cost. Ford says it might even develop a iPhone app that would allow owners to manage recharging remotely.
Charging an electric car can double the energy used at a home, and utilities worry about the increased burden on their power generators.
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