Honda to Introduce First Energy Service for Europe – e:PROGRESS – In the UK
- e:PROGRESS’ offers Honda e owners connected charger, advanced intelligent software and UK-first dynamic energy tariff to charge their car at the most cost-effective times
- Potential energy cost savings of up to £475 per year compared to standard flat tariff
- Energy supply partner Octopus Energy guarantees that 100% of electricity comes from renewable sources
Honda is to introduce its first energy service for Europe with the debut of its domestic intelligent charging solution – ‘e:PROGRESS’ – in the UK.
e:PROGRESS is the most comprehensive and innovative home charging solution from an automotive manufacturer in Europe. At its heart lies a connected charger, and advanced intelligent software developed by smart charging and aggregation specialist, Moixa. The software sets a charging schedule to ensure the car is always adequately charged when it’s needed based on the requirements of the owner, while optimising the use of low-price clean energy.
Electricity is provided by Octopus Energy, with its UK-first dynamic tariff, Agile Octopus, a combined tariff for both the EV and home which allows customers access to lower prices during renewable-heavy, off-peak periods. Moixa’s software selects the most cost-effective times to charge the Honda e based on the tariff, which changes price as often as every 30 minutes in response to fluctuations in wholesale energy prices. This gives customers an estimated annual saving in charging costs of up to £475 per year compared to a standard flat tariff, while Octopus Energy guarantees that 100% of its electricity comes from renewable sources.
e:PROGRESS offers a seamless experience in setting up the service, guiding the customer through checking their eligibility online, switching to the dynamic tariff and subscribing to intelligent charging.
The preferred connected charger for the service is the Honda Power Charger S+ (4G), which connects remotely to e:PROGRESS to schedule access to low-cost electricity. With a simple yet sophisticated design inspired by that of the Honda e, Honda Power Charger has been designed to create more value in the future with further intelligent charging services which interact with the grid.
As well as offering a unique set of benefits to customers, e:PROGRESS will support active grid management to help stabilise demand and to optimise the use of renewables. It also aligns with Honda’s 2030 Vision, part of which outlines the company’s ambition to create ‘new value’ by moving into areas other than mobility, including energy services.
e:PROGRESS is the first service to be introduced by Honda’s new Energy Solutions division, a business unit recently established to offer a comprehensive portfolio of charging and energy management products and services to EV owners in Europe. Other projects in development include Honda Power Manager – a bi-directional vehicle-to-grid system which enables the collection and distribution of electricity between EVs and the grid to intelligently balance demand and supply of energy, and to make better use of renewables.
General Manager of Honda’s Energy Solutions division, Jørgen Pluym, commented:Introducing e:PROGRESS to the market is a significant statement of Honda’s ambition in the provision of energy solutions as part of the continued move towards electrification and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. This unique and innovative service, our first energy solution for Europe, gives Honda e customers a highly-advanced intelligent charging solution offering considerable cost savings, while our partner Octopus Energy guarantees that 100% of its electricity comes from renewable sources.
Offered exclusively to Honda e customers, e:PROGRESS will be available in the UK now. Further services under the e:PROGRESS brand will follow in Germany, with other European countries under consideration.
This article was originally published by Honda Motor Co., Ltd..
