Remote power usage management for plug-in vehicles

A recharging system of a plug-in vehicle configured to recharge a battery of the vehicle, the recharging system comprising:

• a sensor configured to sense electric power received from a utility power source used to recharge the battery;
• a data storage device communicatively coupled to the sensor, the data storage device configured to store data related to the electric power and user or vehicle account information;
• and
• a data communication system communicatively coupled to the data storage device and configured to transmit a charge authorization request to a remote command center, to send user or vehicle account information to the remote command center, transmit the data related to the electric power to the remote command center, and to receive power generation data from a utility company associated with the utility power source, wherein the user or vehicle account information is utilized by the remote command center for charge authorization and billing associated with recharging of the vehicle;
• a positioning system, configured to determine whether a location where the plug-in vehicle is being recharged is a remote location, wherein the user or vehicle account is billed by the remote command center for recharging costs only if the plug-in vehicle is determined as being recharged at a remote location, with the user or vehicle account being billed using a consolidated bill that that consolidates the recharging costs with telematics service-related costs for telematics services provided to the plug-in vehicle by the remote command center.

A method of charging a plurality of onboard energy storage systems of a plurality of plug-in vehicles, the method comprising:

• transmitting, by a remote command center, charge authorizations to recharge the plurality of onboard energy storage systems;
• receiving, by the remote command center, from the plurality of plug-in vehicles, data related to power consumption during the recharging of each of the plurality of onboard energy storage systems according to the charge authorizations and user or vehicle account data;
• receiving, by the remote command center, power generation data from one or more utility companies;
• determining, by the remote command center, whether a plug-in vehicle is being recharged at a remote location or a home location;
• determining, by the remote command center, an amount to bill a user or vehicle account associated with the plug-in vehicle for recharching costs only if the corresponding plug-in vehicle is determined as recharged at a remote location;
• and
• consolidating, by the remote command center, the recharging costs with telematics service-related costs for telematics services provided to the plug-in vehicle by the remote command center in a consolidated bill;
• and
• debiting, by the remote command center, the user or vehicle account for the consolidated costs based on the consolidated bill.