Carmaker Ford is joining forces with Microsoft to use the software giant’s Hohm™ offering to manage electric vehicle recharging and integrate it with home energy use.

Hohm will allow users to recharge both battery-powered and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in the most efficient and affordable manner.

The two companies say they will also work with utilities and municipalities to develop systems that can handle the growing consumer need to charge electric vehicles.

Recharging electric vehicles could potentially double a home’s energy consumption and will need to be managed effectively for both consumers and energy suppliers.

“As the market for electric vehicles expands, it will have a significant impact on home energy consumption and demand across the nation’s energy grid,” says Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

“With Microsoft Hohm, Ford and Microsoft will deliver a solution that will make it easier for car owners to make smart decisions about the most affordable and efficient ways to recharge electric vehicles, while giving utilities better tools for managing the expected changes in energy demand.”

The software is already available free to all US residential energy customers and Microsoft has partnerships with many utilities, but this is the first agreement of its type with a carmaker.

Ford’s Focus Electric, which is scheduled for release next year, is likely to be the first vehicle to use Hohm for recharging. The Focus Electric will join the Transit Connect Electric out this year and a plug-in hybrid and two next-generation hybrids in 2012.

For further information:
http://microsoft-hohm.com
www.ford.com

Related stories:
Ford’s move to low-carbon vehicles backed by UK Government (19-Mar)
GM and Ford move ahead with electric vehicles (10-Feb)
Ford to invest $450 million in electric vehicle plan (21-Jan)
Microsoft’s Hohm help for energy saving unveiled (25-Jun 2009)