BPL Global has signed on with Freshmile, The Hager Group, FAM Automobiles and the University of Technology in Belfort-Montbeliard to see if an EV subscription service

According to a BPL Global announcement (which you can read in full on page 2), the objective is to optimize the impact of EV charging on the grid by aggregating the load and storage capabilities of the EV batteries and managing their charging patterns.

Here's how it works in a nutshell:

·         Freshmile operates the EV fleet and manages the battery charging cycles using BPLG's Connected Energy software solution to manage the electric vehicle fleet as distributed load and storage resources on the electrical network.

·         Intelligent charging stations from The Hager Group will be installed at both home and work for each commuting subscriber.

·         The electric cars are provided by FAM Automobiles.

·         The cost of vehicle operation will be reduced by monetizing the load and storage capacities of the batteries, lowering the monthly subscription fee for each EV.

·         The Transport & Systems Lab at the University of Technology provides its skills in automation and mobile data management and distributed computing.

Testing consumer acceptance for mobility as a service is also an objective of the project, notes Freshmile CEO Amaud Mora. "Success of the electric vehicle for the mass market is only possible by ensuring smooth integration into the electrical grid and by removing acceptance barriers for users," he said.

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What the press release doesn't tell us is what the service will cost end users. But that important detail notwithstanding, does it sound like something that would spur EV usage? Use the Talk Back form below to comment.

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