PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Microsoft is joining forces with Ford to provide energy management software for the car maker’s electric vehicles.
Ford is the first car firm to use Microsoft’s Hohm software, which will make its debut in the Focus Electric next year. The application tells owners when and how they should recharge electric and hybrid cars.
According to Microsoft, Hohm should also help utility companies manage the increasing strain that electric vehicles place on the electrical grid.
“Electric vehicles will play an important role in the global effort to improve energy efficiency and address the issues of climate change and sustainability,” said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. “But 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. 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.”
Hohm, a web-based service, is designed to help customers avoid unnecessary expense by analysing their energy consumption patterns and giving recommendations to improve their efficiency, such as the best time to re-charge.
