Honda Expands Charging Network

Electric vehicles are growing in popularity in the U.S., but the infrastructure to support them is woefully behind the times in many areas. To help remedy that issue, many automakers have joined forces with Tesla to join its Supercharger network, and many more are working together on a separate network to bolster EV charging in the country. Honda has agreed to partner with BMW and Ford on a new company focused on improving and optimizing EV charging.

Give it a name

Called ChargeScape, the partnership aims to create a charging network that benefits EV owners and electric utilities. The group said its work will allow utilities to access EV battery energy across a broad group of vehicles and noted that the brand does not matter. Owners may also gain bonuses or other benefits by sharing their cars’ stored energy.

The system will track plugged-in EVs and provide that information to utilities, allowing them to better manage demand and distribute power more efficiently. It should also help cut grids’ carbon emissions, as it helps utilize “green” energy sources like wind or solar. While the benefits to local power utilities are noteworthy, the reduction of owners’ carbon footprints is a significant upside to the program.

Why it’s important to Honda owners

Solutions like ChargeScape will make owning an EV much easier in the near future. It’s currently impractical for many people to rely on public charging networks because they are unreliable, sparsely distributed, and difficult to find. While opening Tesla’s Supercharger network is a great first step, ChargeScape and similar programs will help ease the path forward. It’s also worth noting that managing electricity sources and prioritizing green energy is a significant benefit of ChargeScape, as a large portion of the electricity for EVs comes from fossil fuels today

To find out more about this and the expanding lineup of Honda hybrids and EVs, talk to our outstanding sales team at Honda of Burien today.