JLR’s Tech Collaboration to Charge EVs with Renewable Power

Electric cars reached a sales share of more than 20% in 2024 according to the International Energy Agency. 

However, charging remains a concern for consumers according to McKinsey research. 

JLR has announced a collaboration with smart EV charging software platform ev.energy to address some of these concerns, aiming to make charging more sustainable and affordable for its clients. 

The company is running a pilot scheme in the UK to test the integration of ev.energy’s software using 10 electric Jaguar I-PACE models.

ev.energy’s software will integrate with JLR’s connected vehicle platform to schedule charging intelligently at grid-friendly times, prioritising renewable energy for participating clients. 

After the pilot, JLR plans to roll this solution out to clients in the UK, US and EU. 

Swarna Ramanathan, JLR’s Chief Strategy Officer, says: ‘’Our work with ev.energy is testament to the power of corporate-scale-up collaboration in unlocking fresh ideas to solve some of our industry’s biggest challenges.

“Together, we are designing and deploying a smart charging solution that will meet our luxury clients’ expectations. 

“It will support the transition to electrification through the efficient use of energy, with a view to reducing pressure on the grid and lowering costs for users.’’ 

About ev.energy

Based in London, ev.energy is an electric vehicle managed charging software platform founded in 2018.

It aims to seamlessly connect EVs to grid networks to make charging simpler, greener and cheaper.

Its end-to-end platform intelligently manages the power requirements of EVs by charging vehicles at grid-friendly times based on a range of factors including grid capacity. 

InMotion Ventures, the investment arm of JLR, took part in a US$33m Series B round for ev.energy led by National Grid Partners. 

To date, ev.energy has been working with more than 55 utilities globally to intelligently manage the flow and timing of energy consumption across charging vehicles. 

Nick Woolley, CEO & Co-Founder of ev.energy, says: ‘’This initiative is a prime example of how an automaker and a software provider can work collaboratively to deliver a convenient, high-quality proposition, support the uptake of EVs and alleviate grid pressures to make charging cost-effective.  

“Working with JLR in the UK will help us further understand how our Virtual Power Plant can support a grid with mostly low-carbon supply and growing demand from electric vehicles, learnings which we can apply to other regions and markets.’’

JLR’s Innovation Strategy

JLR’s investment in ev.energy through InMotion Ventures was part of its Innovation Strategy, and this collaboration aims to continue this work. 

The strategy aims to explore the development of new technologies through joint ventures with innovative companies. 

Outside of ev.energy, JLR has worked with Allye Energy to co-create portable battery energy storage systems from second-life PHEV batteries. 

Another InMotion Ventures portfolio company, Cesium Astro, is collaborating with JLR to develop advanced in-vehicle connectivity. 

Google subsidiary Waymo is also working with JLR to develop and expand autonomous Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. 

AI leader NVIDIA formed a strategic partnership with JLR in 2022, jointly developing automated driving services and AI-enabled services.

Starting in 2025, all new Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar vehicles will be built on the NVIDIA DRIVE AI-defined platform, using NVIDIA data centre solutions for cloud and NVIDIA DRIVE Orin in the car. 

At the time of the announcement, Jensen Huang, NVIDIA’s Founder and CEO, said: “Next‑generation cars will transform automotive into one of the largest and most advanced technology industries. 

“Fleets of software‑defined, programmable cars will offer new functionalities and services for the life of the vehicles. 

“We are thrilled to partner with Jaguar Land Rover to reimagine the future of transportation and create the most advanced cars.”