Microsoft and Ford team up on electric cars

Thursday, 01 April 2010, 18:32 IST
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New York: Microsoft and Ford are to collaborate on the development of an electric car that will use Microsoft technology to streamline the battery-charging process, the companies announced Wednesday at the opening of the New York International Auto Show. Ford said it will use Microsoft's Hohm electric-car charging optimization service to help drivers determine the best time to charge their vehicles and how to best minimize impact on the grid. The companies hope that the technology will help homeowners deal with the power demands made by electric cars, which are likely to be the largest energy hogs in the home, effectively doubling residential power consumption. The internet-based service will be used for the Focus Electric plug-in hybrid in 2011, and in two next-generation hybrids in 2012, Ford said. "For Ford, this is a needed step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles viable," CEO Alan Mulally said in a statement. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer said the new service is "a significant step in the development of the infrastructure that will make electric vehicles successful."
Source: IANS
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