The past couple of weeks I fell off the wagon writing on my own blog however, it was for a good reason. This week we announced the shared vision of two companies Microsoft Hohm and Ford Motor Company. If you didn’t hear the new’s here’s a little glimpse of what happened.
A recent study showed that 42 percent of customers say they are likely to buy a hybrid or an electric vehicle in the next two years. And, clearly, increasing numbers of electric vehicles will have a significant impact on energy demand. Just consider that the addition of one electric vehicle to a household can double home energy consumption while the vehicle is charging.
Put another way, if you add an electric vehicle to a household, it becomes the single largest consumer of electricity in the home. Now imagine everyone coming home at 6 p.m. and immediately charging their cars – it would be like a traffic jam on our electrical grid. Addressing the challenge of how we manage that demand in a smart and affordable way —from energy utilities down to consumers—is going to be critical. We believe technology will be essential to support the entire energy ecosystem.
A future with electric cars is going to transform so much of our society—and it’s coming soon. Which is why I’m delighted to announce that Ford and Microsoft are teaming up to implement Hohm for Ford’s electric vehicles. Ford is the first automaker announcing the use of Hohm, starting with the Focus Electric next year. Hohm will help owners determine when to most efficiently and affordably recharge battery electric (BEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. Our plan is to make electric vehicle ownership easier and more affordable for consumers and help utility companies manage the added demands of electric vehicles on the electric grid. Read More…
I would like to get your thoughts about this announcement and also the social efforts that we’re executing for Microsoft Hohm. We’re working hard on engaging the community and implementing their ideas into the product. I’m signing off right now but will have some fun updates as I’m heading to Moab Utah for the weekend form snowboarding and mountain biking.
Shaka – Elliott