Aerovironment just announced that it has been awarded a patent for technology that manages charging, control and maintenance of batteries for battery packs, chargers and electric vehicles that can be connected to and controlled by a smart grid. The technology allows the rate of charge to be analyzed and optimized for the best possible performance. Although it was developed for Aerovironment’s commercial PosiNET™ system, it could eventually be used by private consumers as well.

In a press release, Michael Bissonette, AV senior vice president and general manager of its Efficient Energy Systems segment, commented on the technology:

“We launched this technology in the commercial EV market, but there are also compelling potential applications for passenger electric vehicles. For instance, utilities could employ PosiNET to capture and analyze energy usage data from EV battery packs that connect to the electric grid. With these data, the utility – or a third party – could remotely optimize the charge rate or energy load based on real-time vehicle needs and grid capabilities, resulting in a win-win for the utility and end users.”