American EV manufacturer Rivian and V2G integration platform ChargeScape have today announced a partnership that will see Rivian EV owners able to opt into utility programs across America managed by ChargeScape, allowing owners to reap the potential financial benefits of bidirectional charging and vehicle-to-grid technology.
Rather than being tied to a single manufacturer, ChargeScape is jointly owned by four major OEMs: BMW, Ford, Nissan, and Honda. Having already run V2G pilots with brands like Nissan, and with Rivian now joining as a collaborator, the company is well-positioned to make vehicle-to-grid integration a standard feature of EV ownership across the US.
The new Rivian R2, launched earlier this month, supports bidirectional charging out of the box and should also be compatible with ChargeScape-managed utility programs.
America already has seven million EVs on its roads, and programs such as ChargeScape are opening up the potential for these vehicles to become key assets within the energy ecosystem, by acting as energy storage devices which can supply energy back into the grid at times of demand. This mechanism can also reward EV owners financially, giving electric vehicles yet more financial benefits over their fossil fuelled counterparts.
Joseph Vellone, CEO of ChargeScape, commented:
“This is a significant step forward in aligning automakers around a common platform and charging standard. Rivian’s partnership with ChargeScape will bring some of the largest batteries on the road onto an industry-owned, shared infrastructure. At a time of persistent inflation and high gas prices, we’re unlocking meaningful financial savings for EV drivers across America.”
Andrew Peterman, Director of Advanced Energy Solutions at Rivian, added:
“Through this collaboration with ChargeScape and other partners, Rivian’s software-enabled vehicles are a perfect, nimble partner to help balance the energy grid and enable drivers to get more value out of their vehicle. These solutions demonstrate how electric vehicles can help reduce electricity costs and support a more resilient energy grid for everyone, whether you own an EV or not.”
