[Quietcars] Ford and Microsoft unveil "critical" electric vehicle partnership

[Chip Hailey]

Ford and Microsoft unveil "critical" electric vehicle partnership
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Email
Ford and Microsoft announced a partnership in electricity management
Ford Motor Company
Global giants Ford and Microsoft have confirmed a strategic partnership on electricity
management, in a major announcement on the first day of the New York International
Auto  Show.
The two companies are to work together to develop energy management
software
 for electric cars, which will allow consumers to closely monitor their electricity
usage and recharge their vehicles in the most practical and cost-efficient way.
The partnership is likely to provide a significant boost to both home energy monitoring
and the rollout of an electric charging
infrastructure
 to support electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Ford CEO Alan Mulally described
the announcement as a "needed step in the development of the infrastructure that
will make electric vehicles viable."
The software, to be based on
Microsoft's
 "Hohm" platform, will closely monitor consumers' electricity usage, providing electric
vehicle users with recommendations on when to charge their vehicles. By aggregating
usage patterns, the software will provide recommendations on conservation to save
consumers money.
Critically, data will also be fed to energy companies to assist in supply planning.
The predicted boom in electric vehicles and associated strain on the electricity
grid is seen as one of the key challenges to developing an all-electric vehicle infrastructure
that reduces reliance on fossil fuels. It is thought that the addition of an electric
vehicle could double the energy consumption of a household if it is recharged daily.
"As the market for electric vehicles expands, it will have a significant impact on
home energy consumption and demand across the nation's energy grid," said Microsoft's
Steve Ballmer.
"With Microsoft Hohm, Ford and Microsoft will deliver a solution that will make it
easier for
car
 owners to make smart decisions about the most affordable and efficient ways to recharge
electric vehicles, while giving utilities better tools for managing the expected
changes in energy demand."
Ford currently plans an aggressive electrification plan, introducing five electric
vehicles in North America and Europe by 2013. The Ford Focus Electric, to be introduced
in 2011, will be the first car to feature Microsoft Hohm, initially in North America.
http://microsoft-hohm.com
http://www.ford.com
Copyright
Copyright 2009 Independent News and Media Limited