DENSO Corporation, a Japanese supplier of automotive components, announced last week that it has jointly developed a home energy management system (HEMS) with Toyota Housing Corporation. The HEMS, which will be available in Japan in 2012, has optional functions that work with plug-in hybrid or electric vehicles.

The system features a 7-inch touchscreen monitor that shows power consumption in real time, and lets users schedule energy-gobbling tasks for times when electricity rates are lower. The system can charge an EV battery at a prescheduled time, or turn the car’s climate control system on from the in-house monitor or a smartphone. This can mean more range, as the electron-slurping AC brings the car to temperature while still connected to the charger.

“As plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles become more widespread, we recognized that it’s possible to realize a more environmentally friendly society by connecting and coordinating these types of vehicles and home energy usage,” said DENSO VP Koji Kobayashi. “DENSO will not only contribute to the development of environmentally friendly vehicles, but also to the development of products that help improve home energy efficiency.”

Source: DENSO