Electrical panel reinventor Span has now entered the electric vehicle charger market with the release of the Level-2 charger Span Drive, which was announced alongside a new drop-in meter replacement, the Span Meter Panel. Both products will use the company’s PowerAssist platform to synchronize and manage demand response requests from utilities.
Span Drive
“Since day one, our mission has been to help consumers decarbonize their lives and usher in a future where every home and vehicle is electrified. By adding Span Drive and Span Meter Panel to our product suite, we’re making it easier than ever for homeowners to transition to sustainable transport and home energy solutions like solar and battery storage,” said Span founder and CEO Arch Rao.
Span Drive works with any EV and can be installed in any home with a Span Panel, allowing for real-time coordination with all home energy loads. Using Span’s app, users can choose which energy source to use to charge their EV, seamlessly switching between grid and solar power. Span Drive also supports “Level 2.X” charging speeds at 48 amps without costly home electrical upgrades, regardless of the home’s utility connection.
Span Drive
Other features of Span Drive include:
- Automatic load management to throttle down other low-priority circuits in real time for rapid EV charging
- Charge scheduling based on utility rate and desired range
- Dynamic charging speed during outages when paired with a home battery
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G/LTE communications via the Span Panel
Around one in three U.S. homes are built with antiquated combination meter panels, which present added barriers for consumers who wish to install rooftop solar or battery backup. With the new Span Meter Panel, homeowners now have a uniquely elegant solution to completely replace this out-of-date technology and realize circuit-level energy insight and control. Typically, installing battery backup with a meter combo panel requires added cost and labor, and several extra gray electrical boxes on the wall. By replacing the old meter panel entirely, Span Meter Panel streamlines installation, while simultaneously providing controls and intelligence that elevates a home’s energy capabilities and improves the performance of any solar and storage solution.
Span Meter Panel
All Span products leverage the company’s PowerAssist platform, which enables a distributed and decarbonized electrical grid without requiring consumers to upgrade each individual appliance to be “smart.” Because Span learns the usage of all home appliances and knows homeowners’ preferences, it can seamlessly manage demand response requests from utilities. This reduces strain on the grid and minimizes peaker plant usage — a critical contributor to greenhouse gas emissions — with no impact to home residents’ comfort or convenience. PowerAssist is currently being tested by utilities across the United States.
Also announced today was the new relationship between Span and national solar installer Sunrun. Sunrun will begin offering Span’s smart home electrical panel to customers. Product pricing will vary according to market and installation requirements.
“Widespread home electrification is vital to achieving our decarbonization goals but required main panel upgrades are often a significant hurdle for customers wanting to shift away from fossil fuels to clean-energy-powered alternatives in their homes,” said Mary Powell, CEO of Sunrun. “This program will accelerate the adoption of home solar and batteries, electric vehicles, heat pumps, and so much more.”
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