Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) has announced a partnership with WeaveGrid to ensure that as more Toyota battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are launched, they can seamlessly integrate with the electric grid.
This partnership comes after WeaveGrid, a software company that supports the rapid adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by integrating them with the electric grid, announced a $28m in funding earlier this month, led by Toyota’s growth fund, Woven Capital.
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Toyota EV charging solutions group vice president Christopher Yang said: “Toyota is committed to making investments in technologies and solutions to provide greater insights for our customers and electric utility partners into how vehicles will interface with their homes and the electric grid,
“With more Toyota BEV and PHEV customers than ever before, we are looking to ensure that they will be met with a high-quality experience that enriches their ownership journey.”
Recognising the rapid growth required to accommodate the rising demand from EVs and other emerging energy needs, Toyota is partnering with WeaveGrid and its utility partners to develop programmes that will strengthen the grid, making it more resilient and cost-effective.
This collaboration aims to ensure that customers can reliably charge their vehicles, potentially at lower costs.
Additionally, the initiative explores how vehicle batteries can be utilised for both driving and home energy needs, creating benefits for drivers of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), and the overall grid system.
By the end of this decade, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) predicts that the number of BEV and PHEV vehicles on US roads could increase more than tenfold, leading to a significant rise in electricity consumption.
WeaveGrid is claimed to take a systems-based approach, believing that the energy and transportation sectors must be integrated and changed to help utilities manage the increasing electrification of vehicles from automakers like Toyota.
Yang said: “As Toyota aims to expand the number of BEV and PHEV vehicles we offer; our goal remains to ensure the ownership experience is as seamless and customer-friendly as it has been with the vehicles we’ve built our reputation on in the U.S. over the last 67 years.
“Investing in our infrastructure with WeaveGrid has the potential to provide customers and power utilities with mutual benefits that align with our mission to contribute to the goal of a carbon-neutral society.”
