Volkswagen announced a new “Vehicle to Home” function that adds bidirectional charging to its ID electric models. This means that VW’s EVs will now be able to power an entire household for up to two days, using the energy stored in their batteries.
The feature will be available to both new and existing cars via the ID. Software 3.5 update. However, it is exclusively compatible with ID models fitted with the 77 kWh battery pack, meaning that those with the smaller 58 kWh battery are excluded from the bidirectional party. Another detail is that bidirectional charging currently works only with the S10 E Compact DC home power station by HagerEnergy GmbH, although more devices will become compatible later on.
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According to Volkswagen, the average energy consumption of a household is around 30 kWh, meaning that its EVs could potentially cover the electricity needs for up to two days. In any case, the battery pack won’t be discharged below 20% so that the vehicle remains operational at all times in case the owner needs to drive it.
When combined with a home power station, the integrated Home Energy Management System (HEMS) from HagerEnergy GmbH, and a solar panel system, the “Vehicle to Home” function allows VW owners to supply their households with sustainable energy. This is possible if the EV’s battery pack charges from solar power and sends it back to the home whenever it is required – for example on cloudy days when solar panels don’t work as efficiently.
The technology will be tested in a pilot project by VW and its partner HagerEnergy GmbH. Residents of the Stenberg housing estate near the Swedish town of Hudiksvall will be supplied with EVs and the “corresponding charging infrastructure” so they can try out bidirectional charging and make use of sustainable energy.
While this is certainly not the first time we hear about a vehicle-to-grid system, VW brags about being one of the first providers of bidirectional charging based on the European CCS (Combined Charging System) DC charging standard.
