- UK OEM JLR and smart EV charging software firm ev.energy have teamed up to run an EV charging pilot scheme, to evaluate the potential benefits of smart charging.
- The UK-run scheme will see 10 electric Jaguar I-PACE models integrated with the software, in an effort to make future JLR EVs more sustainable and more affordable to charge at home.
- The partnership comes after JLR’s venture capital arm, InMotion Ventures, made an investment in ev.energy back in 2023.
JLR launches smart charging pilot as it gears up for future EV launches
ev.energy’s smart charging software allows electric cars to connect with the grid to coordinate their charging to take place at greener and cheaper times, according to the owner’s preference, allowing the cost of ownership for electric cars to drop even lower than their ICE rivals. In the JLR pilot scheme, ev.energy’s platform will integrate with JLR’s own connected vehicle platform to make it a seamless process. Once the pilot scheme completes, JLR hopes to roll out this technology out to its customers across the UK, the European Union, and the US.
Currently, JLR doesn’t sell any fully-electric models, after it pulled the I-PACE from the market ahead of the Jaguar brand relaunch. The first fully-electric Range Rover was supposed to launch later this year, but this week, that has now been pushed back to 2026, with JLR citing a need for more testing before the car is market-ready. This smart charging pilot scheme has the potential to ensure that cars like the Range Rover Electric, and fully-electric Jaguar models, can be charged in the most cost-effective and sustainable ways possible at home.
Swarna Ramanathan, JLR Chief Strategy Officer, commented:
“Our work with ev.energy is testament to the power of corporate‑scale‑up collaboration in unlocking fresh ideas to solve some of our industry’s biggest challenges.
Together, we are designing and deploying a smart charging solution that will meet our luxury clients’ expectations. It will support the transition to electrification through the efficient use of energy, with a view to reducing pressure on the grid and lowering costs for users.”
Nick Woolley, CEO & Co‑Founder of ev.energy, added:
“This initiative is a prime example of how an automaker and a software provider can work collaboratively to deliver a convenient, high‑quality proposition, support the uptake of EVs and alleviate grid pressures to make charging cost‑effective.
Working with JLR in the UK will help us further understand how our Virtual Power Plant can support a grid with mostly low‑carbon supply and growing demand from electric vehicles, learnings which we can apply to other regions and markets.”
