Honda is introducing a new Honda SmartCharge beta program that allows electric vehicle customers to reduce the environmental footprint of charging their car while earning monetary rewards. Honda is the first automaker to introduce a program of this kind, and will roll out the program to Honda Fit EV customers. Electric vehicle customers typically plug in and charge their vehicles when they arrive home after work, but this early evening charge time is often when demand on the grid is highest and when electricity is the most expensive. Honda SmartCharge permits Fit EV customers to charge when electricity demand is low and when the availability of renewable energy is high. Using the vehicle telematics system and Enel X subsidiary eMotorWerks’ JuiceNet software platform, Honda SmartCharge computes the best time to charge a vehicle from the electric grid, dynamically taking into account the driver’s daily schedule, the amount of renewable […]