Patent ID: 8326470

Claim:
A system for remotely managing power use of auxiliary electrical systems in an electric vehicle, the system comprising: an on-board electrical energy storage device within the electric vehicle; an electrical interface between the on-board electrical energy storage device and an off-board electrical energy source external to the vehicle; a controller for selecting between the on-board electrical energy storage device and the off-board electrical energy source as a power source for one or more of the auxiliary electrical systems wherein the auxiliary electrical systems include at least one of an HVAC system, a seat heater, a seat cooler, a defroster, and a defogger; and a telematics device linked to the controller for causing the controller to select a specific one of the on-board electrical energy storage device and the off-board electrical energy source to power a selected one of the auxiliary electrical systems based on a command signal received wirelessly from a remote user device, wherein the telematics device is configured to determine whether the electrical interface is linked to the off-board electrical energy source and to send a notification to the remote user device if the telematics device determines that the electrical interface is not linked to the off-board electrical energy source.